FIFA 2010 World Cup: Australia, China and Iraq in Asian group of death; England face Croatia again

England paid the price for their failure to reach Euro 2008 on Sunday when they were drawn with Croatia again in one of the toughest qualifying groups for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Slaven Bilic's impressive Croatian side beat England home and away on their way to next year European Championships and will start as favourites to top group six and claim the automatic qualifying spot.
England, who were left vulnerable to a tough draw after losing their status as top seeds because of their slide down the world rankings, may have been relieved to have avoided the likes of France, Italy and Germany. But as well as the clashes with Croatia, whoever succeeds Steve McClaren as manager will also have to prepare his side for difficult matches against 2006 World Cup quarter-finalists Ukraine and gruelling trips to the former Soviet states of Belarus and Kazakhstan. Minnows Andorra make up the group.
"It's a very, very hard group," said Bilic.
"The only team I had wanted to avoid was England. We are not afraid of them but like Ukraine they are a couple of teams that were in quarter-finals in last World Cup and they will do all the can to come back. "It's the most difficult group to be honest." Defending champions Italy will begin their quest for a fifth World Cup in a group that contains fast-improving Bulgaria as well as Ireland, Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro.
France, beaten finalists in Germany last year, will expect Romania and Serbia to provide them with their biggest challenges in group seven, which is made up by Lithuania, Austria and the Faroe Islands.
Greece, the team that leapfrogged England to secure the final place among the top seeds, were rewarded with a place at the head of what looks like the weakest of the groups in the European zone.
The reigning European champions will face Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia and Luxembourg.
Although Holland will expect to top the section, the Scots look favourites to claim second place ahead of Norway, Macedonia and Iceland, which would give them a chance of qualifying via a play-off.
Portugal and Spain also face tough battles to top their groups. The Portuguese have both Sweden and Denmark in their group while Spain must get the better of Turkey and Belgium.
There are eight groups of six teams and one with five countries. The best runners-up will be determined on the basis of the number of points won with results against the bottom team discounted in the six-team groups.
Australia, China and Asian champions Iraq were drawn together in a 'group of death' for the 2010 World meaning at least one will not get through qualifying.
From an initial 41 teams, Asian representatives have been whittled down to 20 with the first and second in each group from the third round progressing to the fourth and final round on the road to South Africa. Joining Australia, China and Iraq in Group 1 are Asian Games champions Qatar. Japan, arguably the football power on the continent and a team that has qualified for the last three World Cups, will take on Bahrain, Oman and Southeast Asian powerhouse Thailand in Group 2 when qualifying starts on February 6.
South Korea, Asia's most successful team on the world stage having qualified for the past six World Cups, face a trip to neighbouring Pyongyang after being pitted with arch-rivals North Korea in Group 3. The South Koreans, who made the semi-finals in 2002 on home soil, will fancy their chances of making their seventh finals with Jordan and minnows Turkmenistan also in their group.
Saudi Arabia, the losing finalists to Iraq at the Asian Cup earlier this year, will face Uzbekistan, Lebanon and tiny Singapore, who have never been this far before.
In the final group, Iran, whose credentials remain strong despite a number of senior players reaching the end of their international careers, take on Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Syria.
Group 1 threw up an intriguing scenario. Australia are still learning the ropes of how football is played in Asia after their shortfalls were exposed in their inaugural Asian Cup in June where heat sapped their strength and they failed to make it past the quarters. They had a taste of the World Cup in 2002 but has never quite lived up to expectations since.
Asian champions Iraq will be in South Africa for the Confederations Cup in 2009 but whether they can return the following year will depend on whether new coach Egil Olsen can unite the team.
Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan will be favourites in their pool, but Group 5 is more open with Iran, Kuwait, UAE and Syria all capable of progressing. The winners and runners up from each group move to round four where they will be split into two groups of five with the first and second placed teams qualifying for South Africa.