Chinese football fans have good reason to hope again after Team Dragon avoided big guns Australia and Japan in the third round of qualifying. Last night’s draw in Kuala Lumpur saw China avoid their worst case scenario with the side instead finding themselves against Asian Cup finalists Korea as well as Iran, Uzbekistan, Qatar and Syria in Group A. Group B includes Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Thailand.
The top two sides in each group progress directly to the 2018 World Cup while the third place finishers will face off for the right to enter a World Cup play-off with a team from CONCACAF.
Nevertheless, the road remains a tough one for China given Korea, Iran and Qatar are all above them in the world rankings. History is not on China’s side either as they have managed only one previous World Cup appearance back in 2002 in Korea/Japan, when without the two hosts nations Asian qualifying was much easier. Time will tell what this campaign holds.
Group A: Iran, Korea Republic, Uzbekistan, China PR, Qatar and Syria
Group B: Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Thailand
