Sports
09:21, 04-Aug-2018
Iraq withdrawal prompts partial redraw for 2018 Asian Games soccer tournament
Updated
08:51, 07-Aug-2018
["china","other","Asia"]
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A redraw was conducted by the Asian Football Confederation on Friday on behalf of the Olympic Council of Asia and Local Organizing Committee following Iraq's withdrawal from the tournament.
The United Arab Emirates has taken Iraq's place in Group C of the 2018 Asian Games Indonesia men's football tournament.
The redraw was the second time the group phase of the competition had to be amended after organizers had not included the UAE and Palestine in the original selection when it was conducted in early July.
China will face the UAE, East Timor and Syria in Group C.
The new schedule of the 2018 Asian Games men's soccer tournament. /Screenshot from AFC official website
The new schedule of the 2018 Asian Games men's soccer tournament. /Screenshot from AFC official website
Iraq’s decision on Thursday not to compete threw up further complications for organizers, leaving only three teams in their group while two other groups – featuring the late additions from the UAE and Palestine – contained five nations.
The men's football tournament is set to take place on August 10 to September 1 in Jakarta and Palembang. China will face East Timor on Aug. 14, Syria on Aug. 16 and the UAE on Aug. 20 in the group stage.
Asian Games football draw
Group A: Indonesia, Hong Kong, Laos, Chinese Taipei, Palestine
Group B: Thailand, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Qatar
Group C: United Arab Emirates, China, East Timor, Syria
Group D: Japan, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal
Group E: ROK, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Bahrain
Group F: DPRK, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Myanmar
(With inputs from agency)