TOKYO, 18 July 2006 — The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is closely monitoring the Middle East conflict and hoping next month’s Asian Cup qualifiers involving Lebanon and Palestine can go ahead as planned.

“The AFC is shocked and concerned by the current situation in the Middle East region, particularly Lebanon,” the AFC told Reuters yesterday.

“We are also shocked at the damage inflicted on the infrastructure of the country. We can only hope that the circumstances settle down soon.” According to Lebanon’s health ministry, more than 160 people have been killed in the country since Israel launched a series of bombardments following the abduction of two Israeli soldiers by Hizbollah in a cross-border raid last Wednesday.

The next round of qualifiers for the 2007 Asian Cup are scheduled for Aug. 16 with Lebanon and Palestine among the teams involved.

“In the context of football activities in Lebanon... we shall keep in close contact with the Lebanese football association. We hope that the Asian Cup matches can be held as scheduled,” the AFC added.

“We will do all we can to make sure the matches can take place in a safe and sporting environment.” Lebanon are set to travel to Bahrain with Palestine facing Iraq in a match already scheduled to be played in neutral Jordan because of security fears.

Two Aussie Clubs to Play in 2007 Asian Champions League for the First Time

AP adds: In Kuala Lumpur, two Australian club soccer teams will compete in the 2007 AFC Champions League, taking the places of Thai and Vietnamese teams, the region’s soccer governing body said yesterdday.

It is the first time Australia, which switched over to the Asian Football Confederation in January 2006 from Oceania, will participate in the continent’s most prestigious tournament.

The AFC Executive Committee said it has approved its Competitions Committee proposal that a club from Thailand and one from Vietnam be demoted to a secondary competition, the AFC Club, to allow the Australian teams to play.

“This decision was made based on the technical performance and match results of the Thai and Vietnamese clubs in recent seasons of the AFC Champions League,” it said in a statement on its Web site.

Thailand and Vietnam will be left with one representative each in the 2007 Champions League, it said.

The AFC is still in discussion with the Football Federation of Australia and will provide further details over the next few weeks about the Australian clubs that will play in the tournament, it added.

The AFC Champions League, launched in August 2002, will retain its current format with 28 teams divided into seven groups of four teams each. The seven group winners will join the defending champions in the quarterfinals.

Australia joined the AFC as its 46th member this year after frustrating attempts at getting a direct route to the World Cup through Oceania. By then, it had already qualified for Germany 2006 — its first World Cup finals in 32 years — after edging Uruguay on penalties in an Oceania-South America playoff.

The Socceroos advanced to the World Cup’s quarterfinals, where they lost 1-0 to Italy on a last-second penalty.