Tishreen finished third in the group with the Syrian side recording their first win in the competition thanks to a brace from Thaer Krouma and further goals from Bassel Moustafa, Kamel Koaeh and Mohammad Al Marmour.

Tishreen dominated from the start and looked determined to end their campaign with a flourish. An early Kamel Koaeh effort that was saved by Al Ama’ari Center goalkeeper Ahmad Madanieh inside 10 minutes showed a sign of things to come.

A poor clearance for Madanieh allowed the Syrians to win possession deep inside their opponents half and Khaled Kurdaghli whipped a cross that was headed away by the Palestinian defence but only as far as Thaer Krouma, who rifled on the half-volley into the bottom corner to open Tishreen’s account in the 17th minute.

Kuwait SC will play Jordan's Al Salt, who advanced as the best second-placed team, in the West Zonal semi-finals while Lebanon's Al Ahed will face Al Muharraq of Bahrain.

With the two sides going into the game separated by two points, three-time champions Kuwait SC needed a win to snatch the lead of the group and they duly delivered against a host side that lacked the clinical efficiency needed to secure the points.

The result sees Lebanon's Al Ahed - the 2019 AFC Cup winners, progress while Al Hidd have been knocked out of the 2021 AFC Cup.

Al Ahed will play Group B winners Al Muharraq in the West Zonal semi-final while Kuwait SC will face Jordan's Al Salt.

The result means Al Salt finished second behind Muharraq, who topped the group on the head-to-head record, but Al Salt’s goal-difference of +5 put them ahead of compatriots Al Faisaly as the best runners-up as they joined Muharraq, Al Ahed and Kuwait SC in the West Zonal semi-finals, with Al Salt playing Kuwait SC next.

Muharraq finished on six points, the same with Al Salt but ahead on head-to-head after having beaten the Jordanian side 1-0 in their earlier encounter. Al Salt sealed their place in the semi-finals as the best second-placed team after defeating Palestine's Balata Centre 5-0.

Al Muharraq will face 2019 champions Al Ahed of Lebanon in the West Zonal semi-finals while Al Salt will play Kuwait SC.

Star-studded hosts Korea Republic will undoubtedly begin as favourites, although Lebanon held the Taeguk Warriors earlier in the campaign while an ever-improving Turkmenistan already have points on the board, too. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are still aiming to get off the mark.

With plenty to play for over what promises to be an action-packed two weeks, the-AFC.com shines the spotlight on the story so far, the teams and players involved, and much more.