Fifa have rejected an appeal by the Palestinian Football Federation to have their World Cup qualifying match against Singapore rescheduled after the national side argued they missed their match because of Israeli travel restrictions.
According to Jamal Abu Hasheesh, spokesman for the federation, the team was a no-show for Sunday's game because 18 of its players and officials live in the Gaza Strip.
Last month, Israel declared Gaza "hostile territory" and said it would only permit humanitarian hardship cases to leave.
Abu Hasheesh said the 18 team members didn't receive Israeli permits to leave Gaza for the game.
However, in making the draw for the second round of Asia's 2010 World Cup qualifiers Fifa determined that Singapore would progress and considered the actions of the Palestine to be a forfeit.
The four home-and-away ties are: Hong Kong vs. Turkmenistan, Indonesia vs. Syria, Singapore vs. Tajikistan and Yemen vs. Thailand, with the first-listed teams to host the first legs.
The first legs will be on November 9, with the return on November 18.
A complex progression
The four second-round winners will progress to the next round, where they will join the 11 highest ranked winners from first-round winners plus Australia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Iran, who had been given byes through to the third round as the five highest ranked sides.
The 20 teams will then be drawn into five groups of four teams, with the group winners and runners-up to go into a fourth round.
The 11 sides who were given a bye from the second round are Bahrain, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, DPR Korea, China, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, UAE and Qatar.
AFC World Cup qualifying second round
Home side for opening leg first.
Hong Kong vs. Turkmenistan, Indonesia vs. Syria, Singapore vs. Tajikistan, Yemen vs. Thailand.