▁Eth iop ia ▁with d rew . ▁ ▁July ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁ ▁August ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁ ▁August ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁ ▁December ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁ ▁February ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁ ▁March ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁ ▁Niger ia ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁Olympics . ▁Gh ana ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁inter - cont inental ▁play - off . ▁ ▁A FC ▁( As ia ) ▁ ▁was ▁automatically ▁qualified ▁for ▁the ▁Olympics ▁as ▁host . ▁ ▁First ▁Round ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁received ▁by e ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁round . ▁Other ▁ 1 2 ▁teams ▁are ▁divided ▁into ▁ 3 ▁groups , ▁where ▁top ▁two ▁teams ▁in ▁each ▁group ▁would ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁final ▁round . ▁ ▁Group ▁A ▁was ▁played ▁as ▁a ▁knock out ▁tournament ▁of ▁two - leg ged ▁( Home & A way ) ▁matches . ▁Each ▁of ▁Group ▁B ▁and ▁Group ▁C ▁was ▁played ▁as ▁a ▁single ▁round ▁ro bin . ▁ ▁Group ▁A ▁First ▁leg ▁played ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Second ▁leg ▁played ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁final ▁after ▁Jordan ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁tournament . ▁The ▁final ▁first ▁and ▁second ▁leg ▁played ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2