Dhaka: Defending champion Bangladesh to play Bhutan in one of the two opening day’s match of the South & Central Zone of the AFC Under-14 Girls’ Regional Championship beginning on April 23 in Tajikistan capital Dushanbe.

Earlier, Bangladesh was placed in Group-A of the South and Central Zone along with hosts Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal and Bhutan while Group B team consists of the Maldives, Iran, Sri Lanka and India.

The official draw of the tournament was held on Wednesday at AFC House in Malaysia on Wednesday.

In the remaining Group A matches, Bangladesh will play Nepal on April 24, hosts Tajikistan on April 26 and Kyrgyzstan on April 27.

Bangladesh lifted their first AFC U-14 Girls’ Regional Championship crown dethroning Nepal 1-0 in the final at the Dashrath Stadium on December 20 last year.

Striker Marzia scored the match-winning goal in the 16^th minute for Bangladesh, who finished 3^rd in the inaugural edition in 2013.

In the ASEAN region, last year’s champions Vietnam have found themselves in Group B with Myanmar, Singapore and Malaysia while Group A team comprises hosts Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines.

DPR Korea, who won the East zone’s competition last year, were drawn into Group B with Guam, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong completing the group. Hosts China, Japan, Northern Mariana Islands and Korea Republic will play in Group A.

Defending champions Jordan, who will host the competition for the West region, have been slotted along with Bahrain, Palestine and the UAE into the zone’s only group.

Groupings of the tournament are:

West Zone: Jordan, Bahrain, Palestine, UAE South & Central Zone:

Group A: Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh Group B: Maldives, Iran, Sri Lanka, India ASEAN Zone:

Group A: Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines Group B: Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam East Zone:

Group A: China, Japan, Northern Mariana Islands, Korea Republic

Group B: Guam, Chinese Taipei, DPR Korea, Hong Kong