The Jordanian surprise package and the reigning champions from Iraq have already faced-off twice in the group stage, with both fixtures ending in draws. Air Force Club travel to Amman for the first leg of the West Asia Zonal final, hoping to move a step closer to third successive AFC Cup title.

We spoke to journalist Hassanin Mubarak, who covers Middle Eastern football for London-based daily newspaper Arab News and has contributed to the likes of World Soccer and When Saturday Comes magazines.

Following the introduction of a new format last year, Jordan's Al Jazeera are set to lock horns with the reigning champions for a place in the 2018 AFC Cup final, where the West Asia Zonal final winners face the Inter-Zone final winners.

Air Force Club have only lost one tie in the competition since last year, against Syria's Al Wahda in the first leg of the 2017 West Asia Zonal final.

With 10 goals between them in the competition so far, Hammadi Ahmad and Amjad Radhi paved the way for Air Force Club to stand tall against every opposition they faced in this year's AFC Cup.

In the West Asia Zonal semi-finals, the Iraqi side knocked out Lebanon's Al Ahed to keep their title defence and unbeaten record ongoing.

With an unbeaten run in the AFC Cup this season, Al Jazeera have taken the continent by storm, qualifying to the West Asia Zonal final of the competition for the first time in the club's history.

In the West Asia Zonal semi-final, two goals from one of the tournament's standout performers, Musa Al Taamari, granted Al Jazeera a historic victory against the country's most dominant team Al Faisaly, setting up a date against the reigning champions Air Force Club in the Zonal final.

The pacey forward was one of the main reasons the Ashgabat club advanced to the knockout rounds for the first time, after falling short in both 2016 and 2017, and he will be key if Altyn Asyr are to defeat DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC over two legs.

Annadurdyyev is three goals behind the competition’s top scorer, An Il-bom of 4.25, and should Altyn Asyr overcome the Pyongyang team, then the 25-year-old may find himself in the position to finish as the leading marksman in a campaign that has been dominated by the continent’s strikers.

Altyn Asyr went into the second leg as favourites after winning 3-2 in India a week previously in a game that saw them race into a 3-0 lead before 2016 runners-up Bengaluru gave themselves hope ahead of the reverse meeting by pulling two back in the final 30 minutes.

The Turkmenistan side now face 4.25 SC of DPR Korea in the Inter-Zone final, having eased to victory over the Indian Super League side.