All set for AFC Challenge Cup 2008 qualifiers
2 April 2008

The AFC Challenge Cup 2008 Qualification kicks off on April 2 in Taipei with Group A comprising hosts Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Guam moving into action at the Chungshan Stadium. Sri Lanka open the proceedings with a Guam clash while the hosts will be aiming for a winning start against Pakistan in the second match. The top team from each of the four groups qualify for the finals which will be held at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad, India, from July 30-August 10, 2008. DPR Korea, Turkmenistan, hosts India and Myanmar have direct entry to the competition which raises the level playing field within Asia besides helping to discover home grown talent. Group B which has Central Asian powerhouse Tajikistan, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines play their matches from May 13 at the Barotac Nuevo Plaza Field and the Iloilo Sports Complex in Bacolod City.

Kyrgyzstan will be hosting Group C with the action scheduled for a May 5 kickoff. Trying to deny the hosts, who have the favourites’ tag, the top spot in the group will be the other contestants Bangladesh, who hosted the inaugural edition of the tournament, Afghanistan and Laos. AFC will announce the hosts of Group D after Nepal withdrew recently, citing an unstable political situation in the country. However, the Himalayan country’s participation is confirmed in the group alongwith favourites Palestine, Cambodia and Macau. Tajikistan clinched the title two years back after defeating Sri Lanka in a pulsating final in Dhaka.