>>> World Cup qualifiers: Vietnam scores best fair-play points among Southeast Asian teams
>>> Vietnam set new points record for Southeast Asia at World Cup qualifiers
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Based on the special FIFA Ranking released for Asian teams on June 18, top seeds Japan and the Islamic Republic of Iran took their places in Pot 1, with Pot 2 comprising Australia and the Republic of Korea, while Pot 3 included Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Pot 4 contained Iraq and China, followed by Oman and Syria in Pot 5, and debutants Vietnam and Lebanon completing the line-up in Pot 6.
According to the draw results, coach Park Hang-seo’s Vietnamese side will be joined by powerhouse Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Oman in Group B.
Group A features the remaining six teams, including the continent’s second-ranked IR Iran, the Republic of Korea, the UAE, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
Vietnam will be joined by powerhouse Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Oman in Group B. (Screenshot)
The final round of the Asian Qualifiers will begin in September and end in March 2022, with the 12 teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches in their groups.
The top two teams of each group will directly qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the two third-placed teams will advance to the Asian playoff to determine which side will advance to the international playoff.
The AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar is scheduled to be played on the following 10 match days: September 2 and 7, October 7 and 12, and November 11 and 16, 2021, as well as January 27 and February 1, 2022, before reaching its climax on March 24 and 29, 2022.
