Brazil, Italy and host China received favorable draws on Sunday for the Beijing Olympics Football tournament.
In the draw conducted by FIFA, Brazil and China were drawn together in Group C of the men's tournament, along with New Zealand and Belgium, with the top two teams from each group to progress.
Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA president, addresses the official draw ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games football tournaments, in Beijing, capital of China, April 20, 2008. Twenty-eight teams including 16 men's teams and 12 women's teams will be competing in the Beijing Olympics football tournaments, to be held in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao on Aug. 6-23. (Xinhua Photo) In the 16-team men's tournament, defending champion Argentina was drawn in Group A alongside the Ivory Coast, Australia and Serbia.
In Group B, its the Netherlands, Nigeria, Japan and the United States, while Group D drew Italy against South Korea, Cameroon and Honduras.
In the women's draw, China was drawn against Sweden, Argentina and Canada. World champion Germany, and World Cup runner-up Brazil were drawn with North Korea and Nigeria.
The US, which was third in last year's women's World Cup, was drawn in Group G with Norway, Japan and New Zealand.
Both tournaments open before the official start of the Aug. 8-24 Olympics. The women's tournament opens on Aug. 6 with six games scheduled in Tianjin, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao.
The men begin on Aug. 7 with eight games in Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao.
Source: Shanghai Daily
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