India finds itself in a very tough group as it bids to qualify for the 2007 Asian Cup football championship that take place in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

India is placed in Group 'A' alongside defending champions Japan [Images] and continental powerhouses Saudi Arabia, both of whom are going to the World Cup in Germany [Images] this year. The fourth team in the pool, Yemen, is also considered tough opposition.

This is the first time that the defending champions have been made to qualify for the Asian Cup.

Each team will play the other three sides in the pool on a home and away basis and the top two will make it to the 14th Asian Cup next year.

The 12 qualifying teams would join the four host nations in the competition, to be held from July 9 to 27 next year.

The qualifying matches involving 24 teams would be played on February 22, March 1, August 16, September 6, October 11 and November 15 this year.

Australia, hoping to compete in the Cup for the first time after joining the Asian Football Confederation this month, play Bahrain, Lebanon and Kuwait, according to the draw made today in Singapore.

The other two World Cup-bound teams, Iran and South Korea, face off against each other in Group B, which also features Taiwan and Syria.

Pakistan is in Group C with the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Jordan, while Palestine and Iraq are placed in Group E alongside China and Singapore.

The Groups:

Group A: India, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Japan

Group B: Taiwan, Syria, South Korea, Iran

Group C: Pakistan, UAE, Oman, Jordan

Group D: Australia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain

Group E: Palestine, Singapore, Iraq, China

Group F: Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Qatar, Uzbekistan.

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