Beginning of the play off games, first leg

Over in Asia the first play off games will be underway on Thursday with the first leg games. The winners of the five pairs are battling to enter directly into the third round of qualifying while the losers will have another opportunity in the second play off round which starts in September.

- Chinese Taipei - Cambodia. Chinese Taipei are the favorites for this game and will surely try to give many goals possible to an awful Cambodia team who is recording only loses. We can not that many goals will be scored from the hosts but they want to be secured with a high win before the second leg.
- Laos - India. Probably the first derby of this mini low team qualifiers. Everything is pointing out that India will take away the victory but the thing is that both teams are dreadful. A draw can settle the game but India is a little bit closer with a (minimal) victory.
- Malaysia - Timor-Leste. Neither side cannot be called a favorite here. Maybe the visitors will try to leave the pitch undefeated so that next week at home will prevail but Malaysia will be confident to win the game. At their first ever meeting last year it ended in a draw but the hosts are little bit closer taking the game.
- Tajikistan - Bangladesh. Tajikistan are absolute favourites to take this one. These two teams have met twice in the World Cup qualifiers for Russia as they were together in group B. So in another repeat we are predicting that Tajikistan will come out victorious as Bangladesh are playing awfuly from home.
- Maldives - Yemen. If Maldives can repeat the game from just finished Asian World Cup qualifiers then we can see the first surprise here. Although Yemen may look like favorites, the hosts can give them lots of headache. A draw will be fair for both sides.