AFC U16 Championship 2010 qualifiers
February 22, 2009
VIENTIANE (22 Feb 2009) – The road is tough for Laos and Timor Leste when they found themselves against difficult oppositions in the AFC U16 Championship 2010 qualifiers in October.
The Laotians, who held Australia in the last qualifiers in 2006, will once again cross swords against the side from Down Under where they will also have Malaysia for company in Group H.
With just three teams in the group, only the side which emerged at the top of the round of matches will qualify for the main draw.
On the other hand Timor Leste will be up against two-time winners China alongside Hong Kong and Macau with Singapore and Guam completing the Group F line up.
Thailand, the only ASEAN member to have won the AFC U16 crown will be against Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and the two Koreas in Group G.
Indonesia and Philippines will have to be at their best against a determined Japanese side eager for their AFC U16 title where they will also do battle against Mongolia, Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh in Group E of the qualifiers.
Only the group winner and runner-up of each of the seven six-team groups as well as the best third-place side overall will advance to the 2010 AFC U16 Championship finals.
AFC U16 CHAMPIONSHIP 2010 QUALIFIERS
Group A: Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan.
Group B: Iran, Bahrain, Lebanon, Nepal, Tajikistan, Maldives.
Group C: Syria, Yemen, Qatar, Palestine, Iraq, Bhutan.
Group D: UAE, India, Turkmenistan, Oman, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan.
Group E: Japan, Indonesia, Mongolia, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh, Philippines.
Group F: China, Singapore, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Timor Leste.
Group G: Korea Republic, Thailand, Vietnam, DPR Korea, Cambodia, Myanmar.
Group H: Australia, Malaysia, Laos.
April 3, 2009 at 3:53 pm
don’t under stimate the east Timor U16 team. they different that their senior team. U16 team is well prepare. they have good performance in the Luzifonia competition. they used to play with Brazil U16 team, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and Macau… for Asia Level the east Timor U16 team is quite strong…..
August 10, 2009 at 9:58 am
FFTL Needs to evaluate their performance and their management and leadership. FFTL is decreasing the motivation of the Timorese players. FFTL has very poor management and no transparancy and tendensy to coruption. it was not the problem of financial but management and honesty. so if Timor Leste want have good performance they should improve theit management and trancparancy….
September 4, 2009 at 9:09 am
I recomend to AFC U16 Organizer that if posible AFC needs to advice Timor Leste Footbal Federation to have well organize for their squad. they have good players but not well management.
September 18, 2009 at 9:31 am
If the East Timor team are the same team which participated in U-13 AFC Festival of Football in Sabah Malaysia, then it is a very strong team but i have serious doubts that the players are all Under 16. FIFA/AFC needs to do something about this issue as many countries are getting away with registering ‘overaged’ players and this is very demoralising to the countries which respect and follow all the age restrictions. Where is th e’FAIR PLAY’?
October 14, 2009 at 1:49 pm
The East Timorese Junior teams are very competitive and I think very well organised. Their youth teams start very young and are kept together for a long time…for example this u16 team have been playing for a very long time together at around six year, so criticisms about registering overaged players is doubtful. They have done well in many tournaments at youth level around the world from South Korea to playing at Brazil and at the Macau lusophone where they play against Portugese, Mozambican, Angolan and Brazilian national youth teams. I think it is this experience and time playing together for many years that have made them successful. I dont think the Singaporean youth team or other South East Asian teams have had this much exposure to international football at youth level. Maybe they should look into more international tournament involvement.
However I do agree that there needs to be serious examination of the FFTL (Timorese Football Federation). There is no incentive for the senior teams to play and overseas based players are many times overlooked. There is no discipline and continual team management, and the senior side remain a very part time/casual team. They should learn from their youth teams I reckon.