- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Socceroos have been drawn in a group containing Saudi Arabia, Oman and Thailand at the World Cup 2014 qualifying draw in Rio.
The top two nations from each of the five groups, that were announced on Saturday, will go through to the next round.
At that stage, the 10 surviving teams will be split into two groups, with the leading two nations in each progressing to the finals in Brazil.
The two third-placed teams will playoff for the right to contest the intercontinental playoff against the fifth-placed nation in South American qualifying.
Reigning Asian champions Japan and North Korea came out together in qualifying.
Japan, who reached the last 16 at South Africa 2010 before losing on penalties to Paraguay, will be the team to beat in Group C.
However, the nation coached by Italian Alberto Zaccheroni will be wary of North Korea, who also went to last year’s finals, running Brazil close on the way to a first-round exit.
Their tournament suffered a low point when they were thumped 7-0 by Portugal.
The duo will be strongly fancied to advance from Group C, which also contains Uzbekistan and Syria.
South Korea, who also reached the last 16 in South Africa, and who were semi-finalists on home soil in 2002, are in Group B alongside the Middle Eastern trio of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon.
China are in Group A with Jordan, Iraq and Singapore, while much of the attention will be focused on Group E.
Bidding to qualify for a fourth finals, Iran may be the favourites, but Bahrain, who lost out to New Zealand in a playoff for the 2010 competition, and 2022 hosts Qatar, will be keen to make an impression.
Indonesia complete the section.
The top two nations from each of the five groups go through to the next round.
2014 World Cup draw for the Asian zone made on Saturday:
Group A: China, Jordan, Iraq, Singapore
Group B: South Korea, Kuwait, UAE, Lebanon
Group C: Japan, Uzbekistan, Syria, North Korea
Group D: Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Thailand
Group E: Iran, Qatar, Bahrain, Indonesia
– Top two from each will go forward to two groups of five. The top two of each of those groups will advance to the World Cup finals. The two third placed sides will face off with the winner taking on fifth placed team from South America.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.