The Vietnamese team ran out 3-2 winners in last week’s first leg and will advance to the Inter-Zone Final if they avoid defeat in Turkmenistan, but should the hosts score in Ashgabat then Hanoi will also need to find the back of the net in a tie that remains firmly in the balance. 

While victory at Hang Day Stadium ensured Hanoi start the second leg with the advantage, a tally of 33 shots on goal to seven across the 90 minutes is evidence that they could have taken a much healthier lead to Central Asia.

A thrilling first leg toed and froed before the ASEAN Zonal champions finally secured a 3-2 victory over their Central Asian Zone counterparts following a late Nguyen Van Quyet penalty.

But with two away goals in the bag and home advantage at Kopetdag Stadium, Altyn Asyr will be confident they have what it takes to progress to a second successive Inter-Zone Final.

The midfielder was at his inspirational best at Hang Day Stadium, levelling the score at 1-1 with a sumptuous free-kick after the visitors had taken and early lead through Murat Yakshiyev that stunned the home support.

Quang Hai then produced another moment of magic just after the hour, evading three defenders before curling home with aplomb with a goal that was arguably even better than his first.

Altyn Asyr equalised almost immediately, although Hanoi got the win they will feel their performance deserved when substitute Nguyen Van Quyet finished from the spot with two minutes to play after Do Hung Dung had been upended in the box.

A thrilling contest saw Murat Yakshiyev stun the Vietnamese support with an early opener at the Hang Day Stadium before Altymyrat Annadurdyyev cancelled out two Nguyen Quang Hai goals by levelling proceedings midway through the second half.

However, with Hanoi pushing for the winner, Orazmuhammedov was adjudged to have brought down Do Hung Dung with three minutes remaining and Nguyen Van Quyet struck the winner from the spot to round off a game gripped with drama.

Join the-AFC.com as we look at all the key moments of another significant weekend of action in Central Asian football.

It was a match which saw the lead being exchanged before Abahani looked to have secured a comfortable 4-2 win only for 4.25 to pull one back ahead of the return leg in Pyongyang next week

“It was a good match, although, not so good for my heart. It was full of ups and downs.

"When we started the match, our game plan was slightly different. We put more men at the back and put Sunday (Nwadialu) and (Kervens) Belfort upfront for the counter-attack, something that they did well.”