Qatar faces China, Tajikistan and Lebanon in Asian Cup

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Thursday, May 11th 2023 09:47 PM

Doha: Defending Champions and hosts Qatar will take on China, Tajikistan and Lebanon in the group stages of the Asian Cup finals in January after the draw was conducted in Doha on Thursday. On January 12, Qatar will play Lebanon in Group of the tournament they won for the first time in 2019 in the United Arab Emirates.

Group B will feature 2015 champions Australia alongside Uzbekistan, Syria and India while three-time winners Iran headline Group C alongside the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Palestine.

South Korea will be looking to claim the title for the first time since 1960 and face Malaysia, Jordan and Bahrain in Group E and Saudi Arabia, who won the most recent of their three titles in 1996, meet Thailand, Kyrgyzstan and Oman in Group F.

The tournament, originally scheduled to be played in June and July this year, will run from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 and is being held in Qatar after original hosts China stood down due to the country's COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Japan, winners of the competition on a record four occasions and who were runners-up four years ago, have been drawn in Group D to face Indonesia, Iraq and Vietnam, currently led by former Japan coach Philippe Troussier.

Asian Cup Qatar 2023 draw:

Group A: Qatar, China, Tajikistan, Lebanon

Group B: Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, India

Group C: Iran, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Palestine

Group D: Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, Vietnam

Group E: South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, Bahrain

Group F: Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Oman