April 02, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

LAHORE, April 1: Pakistan take on hosts Chinese Taipei in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifiers on Wednesday.

The match kicks off at 6.30pm Chinese Taipei time.

The two countries are meeting in the international soccer arena after a lapse of 50 years, the first time being when Chinese Taipei played as China way back on May 25, 1958 in the third Asian Games, held in Tokyo. Pakistan lost the match 3-1. The competition was launched by AFC two years ago in their efforts to develop the game in the continent’s emerging football nations. Unlike the AFC President’s Cup, the AFC Challenge Cup is a competition for national teams.

In the other matches, Pakistan, ranked 166 in FIFA rankings, also play Sri Lanka (168th) and Guam (202). Chinese Taipei are ranked 171 and Pakistan expect to win all the matches in the event.

There are 16 teams in all that have been divided into four groups. The group toppers will be joining North Korea, Turkmenistan, India and Myanmar in the eight-team final round to be hosted in Hyderabad Daccan, India from July 30 to Aug 10.

Draws of AFC Challenge Cup (Group A) at Chinese Taipei:

April 2: Sri Lanka v Guam; Pakistan v Chinese Taipei.

April 4: Pakistan v Sri Lanka; Guam v Chinese Taipei.

April 6: Pakistan v Guam; Sri Lanka v Chinese Taipei.