KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9: Pakistan will face Syria away in the opening match of the Asian preliminary rounds of the 2004 Athens Olympics men’s football tournament made at the Asian Football Confederation headquarters here on Monday.

In case Pakistan surprise Syria who are much higher ranked in Asia they will face one of Asian soccer powerhouses China in the second round.

First round first leg matches will be played on April 5, 2003 while the second leg two weeks later on April 19.

First Round: (First leg - April 5, 2003; Second leg - April 19, 2003)

Turkmenistan vs India; Hong Kong vs Sri Lanka; Lebanon vs Jordan; Chinese Taipei vs Singapore; Kyrygyzstan vs Yemen; Iraq vs Vietnam; Myanmar vs Bangladesh; Nepal vs Palestine; Iran vs Maldives; Oman vs Cambodia; Syria vs Pakistan; UAE vs Tajikistan

Second Round: (First leg - May 3, 2003; Second leg - June 7, 2003)

Malaysia vs Turkmenistan or India; South Korea vs Hong Kong or Sri Lanka; Indonesia vs Lebanon or Jordan; Saudi Arabia vs Chinese Taipei or Singapore; Bahrain vs Kyrygyzstan or Yemen; North Korea vs Iraq or Vietnam; Japan vs Myanmar or Bangladesh; Kuwait vs Nepal or Palestine; Uzbekistan vs Iran or Maldives; Qatar vs Oman or Cambodia; China vs Syria or Pakistan; Thailand vs UAE or Tajikistan

(The draw for the final qualifying round will be held in late June or early July next year, following the completion of the second round. The final round matches will be played from Aug 30 to Oct 18, 2003).—AFP