Ilija Spasojevic (Bali United) 
Nationality: Indonesia 
Position: Striker
Age: 34

Born in Montenegro but a naturalised Indonesian who has represented the Garuda at international level, Bali United striker Ilija Spasojevic has played his football in the Southeast Asian country since 2011, turning out for clubs including PSM Makassar and Persib Bandung before being signed by Bali United in 2018. 

Previously a part of Bhayangkara’s Liga 1 title-winning side, he has now won back-to-back league winners’ medals at Bali which means he has been part of the championship-winning side in three of the past four completed seasons.

Arguably Spasojevic’s finest campaign came in his most recent one, when he netted 23 goals in 34 games to finish as the league’s top scorer for the first time to ensure his side returned to the AFC Cup for the third time. 

Spasojevic was twice on the scoresheet in the 2018 group stage before Bali were eliminated, while he added two more to his tally in the 2020 edition that was subsequently cancelled prior to the completion of the group stage. The striker will now hope it’s third time lucky as he aims to fire the Indonesian champions into the knockout rounds for the first time.

Nguyen Hoang Duc (Viettel FC)
Nationality: Vietnam
Position: Midfield
Age: 24

A key component of the Viettel side and a regular for the Vietnam national team, Nguyen Hoang Duc has been among the most talked-about players in the Southeast Asian country in recent years and is set to grace the AFC Cup for the first time. 

A midfielder with an eye for goal, Hoang Duc helped Viettel secure the V.League title in 2020 and subsequently appeared in their maiden AFC Champions League™ campaign a year later, where he scored their first-ever goal in the competition in what proved their first-ever win.

Having made his international debut in 2019, Hoang Duc was part of the Golden Star Warriors’ AFC Asian Cup – Road to Qatar™ qualifying campaign and scored his first goal for his country in a 3-0 win over Malaysia at the AFF (ASEAN Football Championship) Cup in late 2021. 

Another year and another new tournament for the 24-year-old, who will look to follow the likes of countrymen Nguyen Quang Hai and Nguyen Van Quyet as Vietnamese stars who have shone in the AFC Cup.

Ronald Ngah (Kedah Darul Aman)
Nationality: Cameroon 
Position: Striker
Age: 30

Having finished as the Jordanian Pro League’s top scorer with Al Salt in 2021, Ronald Ngah made the move east to join Malaysia’s Kedah Darul Aman in 2022 and the Cameroonian is now set to return to the AFC Cup for the second successive season. 

Ngah was on red-hot form in the 2021 continental competition, scoring four goals in three games, including a hat-trick against Palestine’s Balata Central, to fire his side into the knockout rounds on what was his debut campaign.

His form hasn’t let up since moving to Southeast Asia, with Ngah having found the back of the net seven times in nine games to sit second in the Malaysia Super League’s scoring charts ahead of his return to the continental competition. 

It has been far longer since Kedah played in the AFC Cup, with their previous showing being a Round of 16 appearance in 2009, but if their star man up front can continue to produce the goods, the Malaysians should have realistic hopes of returning to the knockout rounds.

Keo Sokpheng (Visakha FC)
Nationality: Cambodia
Position: Winger
Age: 30

One of the star names of Cambodian football over the past seven years, Keo Sokpheng is set to make his AFC Cup debut at the age of 30 as both he and Visakha venture into unknown territory. 

Sokpheng goes into the competition after recently turning out for the Cambodian national team in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifying campaign, where he scored the equaliser to secure the Keisuke Honda-coached side a 2-2 draw against Afghanistan.

On the club scene, having won league titles at Boeung Ket FC and Phnom Penh Crown, Sokpheng joined Visakha in 2018 and has arguably been their standout player ever since, helping them win back-to-back Hun Sen Cups. 

While a third Cambodian Premier League title continues to elude Sokpheng at Visakha, their Cup victory did ensure a first AFC Cup participation. It’s been a long time coming for their skipper, who will look to enhance his reputation in Group G in Bali.

Boris Kopitovic (Tampines Rovers)
Nationality: Serbia and Montenegro 
Position: Striker
Age: 27

Since arriving at Tampines Rovers in 2020, Boris Kopitovic has been nothing short of prolific, averaging around a goal a game for the Singaporean side, and he may feel he has unfinished business in the AFC Cup.

On his continental debut in 2020, Kopitovic scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over PSM Makassar before again getting on the scoresheet as Tampines beat Shan United. The Singaporean side stood on top of their group and looked good for progression when the competition was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19.

The Montenegrin appeared in last season’s AFC Champions League as Tampines made their debut in Asia’s premier club competition but, after ending the campaign without a goal, he will look to replicate the form he produced in the AFC Cup two years ago. 

And he goes into the tournament leading the way in the Singapore Premier League scoring charts, having found the back of the net in a win over Geylang International at the weekend. His next aim will to be on target once more when he again comes up against PSM Makassar on June 27.