AUSTRALIA have received a favourable draw for the Asian Under-19 soccer championships to be held in Saudi Arabia from October 31 to November 14.Australia went out in the quarter-finals when the tournament was last held two years ago in India, and are expected to reach the knock-out phase again after drawing relative lightweights Jordan, Thailand and Uzbekistan in Group D.
The four semi-finalists of the tournament will represent Asia at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt next year.
Perennial tournament bridesmaids Japan, who have finished runner-up six times, were handed a horror draw.
They were pitted against two-time winners and hosts Saudi Arabia, four-time champions Iran and Yemen in Group A.
The draw was fairly kind to reigning champions North Korea, who beat Japan in the 2006 final, after they were matched against China, Tajikistan and Lebanon in Group C.
South Korea, who are gunning for a record 12th Asian youth title, face 2006 quarter-finalists Iraq as well as UAE and Syria in Group B.
AAP
