With losses against fellow Hong Kong side Tai Po and DPR Korea side 4.25 in their opening two matches, Kitchee’s chances of progressing from Group I were already slim heading into the match at the Mong Kok Stadium.

But against their Chinese Taipei opponents they started in the best way possible, with a goal inside the opening 10 minutes.

Tampines took just two minutes to get on the scoresheet when a long ball from Madhu Mohana found Khairul Amri and the striker volleyed in from 14 yards.

The hosts came close to adding to their lead with half-an-hour gone as Megumi made a run down the right and cut the ball back for Jordan Webb. The Canadian looked certain to score but stabbed wide from inside the six-yard box.

Riding high from their thumping 5-2 win over Yangon United in their previous match, the visitors took time to settle and it was the home side who had the first real opportunity of the game as Anderson Zogbe failed to direct his effort on target from Khim Borey’s corner.

Hanoi came into the game as the half went on and star striker Pape Omar Faye had two chances to open the scoring, but saw one effort deflected while he had an air swing on the other.

Holding a five point lead coming into the match, the Filipino side knew a win would guarantee top spot in the group, and given the Myanmar side had yet to register a point in this year’s competition, Risto Vidakovic’s side had reason to be confident.

They showed that confidence early on as they immediately took control of the game, with Mike Ott having a good chance after 13 minutes that was deflected out for a corner.

What was to be an epic match opened in appropriately exciting fashion with chances at either end in the first 10 minutes.

First Novri Setiwan’s angled effort from inside the area after three minutes was kept out, before Ceres midfielder Kevin Ingreso saw his own close-range attempt denied by a smart save from Andritany Ardhiyasa.

With Ceres Negros having already sealed top spot in the group, Binh Duong must now aim for a best runners-up spot. Meanwhile, Persija’s chances of progress in the tournament were ended as they slumped to a third successive defeat.

Victor Mansaray’s direct run had the Persija defence backpedaling in the eighth minute but the American’s shot from 18 yards was straight at Andritany Ardhiyasa.

The Syrian team needed a win to retain the faintest of hopes of qualifying to the next stage, having only collected one point from their first four fixtures. Kuwait SC, meanwhile, were in a better position with seven points seeing them sit second going into Matchday Five.

Kuwait SC’s first big chance of the match carried the signature of Abdullah Al Buraiki whose free-kick 10 minutes into the game was tipped over by goalkeeper Muhanad Al Khiari.