MUSCAT: Oman face a tough challenge of battling with Asian heavyweights Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia to realise their dream of making it to the World Cup Qatar 2022 after the draw for final round Asian Qualifiers was made on Thursday.
Oman were placed in Group B of final round qualifiers with China and Vietnam being the other teams apart from Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia.
Group A consists of Iran, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
The AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar virtual draw was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The respective group winners and runners-up will seal their places for the global showpiece, while the third-placed teams will advance to the Asian play-off to determine the side that will advance to the intercontinental play-off.
The 12 teams were drawn into two groups with Japan, the continent’s top team in the Fifa World Ranking, drawn in Group B while second-ranked Iran were drawn in Group A.
Iran have made five previous appearances at the global showpiece, while Japan are seeking a seventh consecutive appearance at the Fifa World Cup Finals.
THRILLING CONTEST
Both groups promise to be sizzling affairs with Iran having to contend with a Korea Republic side seeking an 11th appearance at the Fifa World Cup Finals. UAE and Iraq have made the finals once each while Syria and Lebanon will be seeking maiden appearances.
Group B promises to be equally thrilling with Australia and Saudi Arabia both having made the finals five times previously and China once. Oman and Vietnam have never qualified for the global showpiece.
Based on the special Fifa Ranking released for Asian teams on June 18, top seeds Japan and Iran were placed in Pot 1 of the draw, with Pot 2 comprising Australia and Korea Republic while Pot 3 had Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Pot 4 contained Iraq and China PR, followed by Oman and Syria in Pot 5 and debutants Vietnam and Lebanon in Pot 6.
The AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar is scheduled to be played on the following 10 match days: September 2 and 7, October 7 and 12, and November 11 and 16, 2021, as well as January 27 and February 1, 2022, before reaching its climax on March 24 and 29, 2022.
Oman, who had finished behind World Cup hosts Qatar in Group E last round of qualifiers, secured their berth in the final round of the Asian Qualifiers for World Cup Qatar 2022 as one of the best five runners-up teams.
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