Nepal is in Group D of the AFC U-16 Championships

Kuala Lumpur: Central Asian neighbours Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan found themselves in the same group in the AFC U-16 Championship 2012 qualifiers on Wednesday.

Uzbekistan, who finished runners-up in the last edition of the competition, were placed in Group C alongside Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bahrain and India.

AFC's Director of National Teams Competition Shin Man-gil conducting the AFC U-16 Championship draw in AFC House.

Forty teams were divided into two zones and separated in seven groups of six or five teams each. Each group will play one round league at a centralised venue and top two teams from each group will make it to the tournament proper.

Third best teams from each West and East zones will complete the 16-team line up of the 2012 finals.

Defending champions DPR Korea were placed in Group E along with China, Timor Leste, Singapore, Malaysia and Macau.

THE GROUPINGS

Group A: Iraq, Iran, Bangladesh, Qatar, Palestine, Sri Lanka

Group B: UAE, Kuwait, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Maldives

Group C: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan, India

Group D: Syria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Lebanon

Group E: DPR Korea, China, Timor Leste, Singapore, Malaysia, Macau

Group F: Japan, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Laos, Korea Republic, Cambodia

Group G: Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Guam