The players, having rested for nearly three weeks, are set to return to action when they play their first match of the Asian Qualifiers against Afghanistan on September 10 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Head coach Jamie Day has made several changes to the 25-member preliminary squad from the one that defeated Laos in the first round of the Asian Qualifiers, adding six players and one new face.

The Harimau Malaya were involved in the first round of the Asian Qualifiers in June, and Tan has kept 18 players from the squad that beat Timor-Leste 12-2 on aggregate.

The move sees the Brazilian-born forward become the first player without Chinese heritage to be called up by the East Asian powerhouse.

Elkeson, who never featured for Brazil’s senior team, is eligible to play for China after plying his trade in the country since 2013.

Fans of Dordoi, also coached by Krestinin, are likely to feel a sense of familiarity when the Akshumkar meet Tajikistan in Dushanbe next month, with more than half of the 27-strong contingent provided by the Bishkek-based club.

FC Ilbirs, Abdish-Ata Kant and current league leaders FC Alay Osh are the other domestic clubs to provide players for the extended squad, with a further eight plying their trade overseas.

The players will gather in Bishkek on September 1, with the final squad to be cut to 23 ahead of their opening Asian Qualifiers fixture against neighbouring Tajikistan four days later.

The 30-year-old struck shortly before half-time to silence the capacity crowd, before Bahrain held on to become the competition’s sixth winners since it was held for the first time in 2000.

Bahrain’s win caps a spectacular start to life at the helm for Portuguese head coach Hélio Sousa, who emerges from his first tournament in charge of the side with a regional title and four consecutive clean sheets.

Kim will be joined by three other female match commissioners in the Asian Qualifiers - Nguyen Thanh Ha of Vietnam, Lau Cheuk Chi of Hong Kong and AFC Executive Committee member Kanya Keomany of Laos – who were confirmed by FIFA after being nominated by the AFC.

The appointment of the female match commissioners for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Joint Qualifiers underlines the AFC’s steadfast commitment to promote women in Asian football.

Unbeaten in the group stage, an Iraq side comprised primarily of youngsters and players from the Iraqi Premier League will go into Wednesday’s final against Bahrain as favourites.

But despite having the opportunity to win silverware, Katanec says his to-do list for the competition – which several teams have used as preparation for next month’s Asian Qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 – has already been ticked off.