Showing the attacking quality that produced 12 goals in the group stage, the hosts did enough to win on the night at the Bangabandhu National Stadium but 4.25’s three away goals keep them well in contention going into next Wednesday’s second leg in Pyongyang

Sohel Rana and Choe Jong-hyok traded early wondergoals, but a quickfire brace from Abahani forward Sunday Chizoba Nwadialu looked to have the hosts on the road to a comfortable victory before 4.25 pulled back a late goal to stay within striking distance.

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.

Two superb goals from Nguyen Quang Hai looked to have gone to waste when Altymyrat Annadurdyyev’s equaliser brought the visitors level in the second half, but substitute Van Quyet netted the winning spot-kick in the 88th minute to give the Vietnamese champions a slight edge in the two-legged tie.

The result leaves the tie finely balanced ahead of next Tuesday’s return leg in Ashgabat, with the winners to advance to next month’s Inter-Zone Play-off Final.

Ahead to the two match-ups, the-AFC.com has selected four players who have the potential to light up the ties and help guide their sides into the Inter-Zone Final.

The clashes see ASEAN kings Hanoi FC of Vietnam take on Central Zonal champions Altyn Asyr of Turkmenistan and South Zonal champions Abahani Limited Dhaka go up against their East Zone counterparts 4.25 SC of DPR Korea over two legs.

The reward for the winners is a place in the Inter-Zone Final, meaning the stakes are high ahead of the first legs on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The games see Vietnam’s Hanoi FC up against Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr and Abahani Limited Dhaka of Bangladesh face DPR Korea’s 4.25 SC as the Zonal champions from the ASEAN, Central, South and East square off. 

With this Inter-Zone format only in its third year since the AFC Cup was remodelled, the-AFC.com looks back at the four previous match-ups from this stage of the Continental competition.