LONDON 2012: Team GB men and women face Senegal and New Zealand first up

By Barrie White, Sportsbeat

GREAT Britain's men's and women's football teams, who were both seeded for the London 2012 draw, have been handed tough assignments ahead of this summer's Olympics.

HOPEFUL: Team GB women's and men's football coaches Hope Powell and Stuart Pearce will want wins first up

Stuart Pearce's team were drawn into Group A and will open up against Senegal, who qualified in a play-off against Oman, at Old Trafford on July 26.

They will then face UAE at Wembley on July 29 before taking on two-time Olympic champions Uruguay last at Millennium Stadium on August 1 in a group that Britain will be confident of progressing from.

The British women were drawn first into Group E and will open up in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff against New Zealand on July 25.

Hope Powell's team will then play Cameroon, also in Cardiff on July 28 before they finish up against Brazil at Wembley on July 31.  

The other men's groups saw Mexico, South Korea, Gabon and Switzerland in Group B, Brazil, Egypt, Belarus and New Zealand in Group C, with Spain, Japan, Honduras and Morocco making Group D.

France, Columbia and North Korea joined USA in Group G while Japan, Canada, Sweden and South Africa were put in Group F.

The draw, which included Brazil football legend Ronaldo, was held at Wembley Stadium, the venue for the gold medal matches.

©Sportsbeat 2012