Asia hosts 2014 World Cup qualifying drawMarch 9, 2012 - 13:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - TOP-seeded Australia must face Asian champions Japan, as well as Iraq, Jordan and Oman, in their final Asian qualifying group for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Australia was drawn in group B with Japan, Oman, Jordan and Iraq. Group A comprises Korea Iran, Lebanon, Qatar and Uzbekistan. The top two teams from each group qualify directly for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, with the third teams in each group to play off for the chance to play the fifth place team in South America. "It's going to be a tough group, particularly the road games,'' said coach Holger Osieck after the draw in Kuala Lumpur. But Osieck said he was confident the Socceroos would emerge from their eight-match, year-long final phase with one of the two top spots, guaranteeing a berth in their third consecutive World Cup finals, according to Australian Associated Press. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |