South Korea drawn into Group A with host Australia

SYDNEY - Australia's prospects of winning the Asian Cup on home soil in 2015 became significantly more difficult when the Socceroos were drawn into Pool A with 2002 World Cup semifinalist South Korea.

The top four ranked teams were seeded into different groups, with South Korea slipping to No 5 in the region ahead of Wednesday's draw and, in turn, becoming the most threatening team from the second pot of nations. Australia will play Kuwait in the tournament opener on Jan 9 in Melbourne. Oman was also drawn into Group A.

Defending champion Japan was drawn into Group D with 2007 Asian champion Iraq, Jordan and the winners of the eight-team 2014 AFC Challenge Cup to be held in the Maldives in May.

In Group B, Uzbekistan will face three-time champion Saudi Arabia, China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in what appears the tournament's most competitive group.

Iran was placed with the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain in an all-West Asian Group C.