S. Korea gets top seeds in Asiad soccer tournament

Host South Korea has received the top seeds in both men’s and women’s football tournament at the upcoming Asian Games, the sport’s national governing body said on Tuesday.

The Korea Football Association said the men’s squad is one of eight countries to receive a seed for the Asian Games.

Incheon, a west coast metropolitan city, will host the Asiad from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, but the group stage in football starts on Sept. 14.

As the host nation, South Korea has automatically landed in Group A in both men’s and women’s events.

On the men’s side, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Oman and Thailand were other seeded countries, based on their performance at the 2010 Asian Games. The two Koreas thus will not meet in the group stage.

The KFA said 30 nations will participate in the men’s tournament. There will be six groups of four and two groups of three, and the top two nations from each group will reach the next round of 16.

The women’s tournament will feature 11 nations. Along with South Korea, Japan and North Korea are seeded. Japan was the women’s champion in 2010, followed by North Korea and South Korea.

The 11 women’s teams will be divided into two groups of four and one group of three. The top two teams from each group and the two-best No. 3 seeds will make up the quarterfinals.

The South Korean men’s team will be after the first Asian Games gold since 1986. The women’s competition was introduced at the 1990 Asian Games and South Korea has never won a gold medal.

The draws for the group stage will be held Thursday in Incheon. (Yonhap)