A new-look Makassar side without the likes of Marc Klok and Eero Markkanen – both key in helping the team reach the 2019 ASEAN Zonal semi-finals – lost 2-1 against Singapore’s Tampines Rovers on Matchday One two weeks ago.

But with a number of the players making their maiden AFC Cup appearances for Makassar, Ferdinand remains optimistic about his side’s prospects in the 2020 campaign.

In action over the two days are 12 West Asian teams representing seven countries, with matches from Groups A and B taking place on Monday, while Group C fixtures will be played on Tuesday.

Goals to Jordan Webb and Boris Kopitovic had the hosts cruising at 2-0 up with just under half an hour remaining, but PSM Makassar captain Ferdinand Sinaga’s volley ensured a tense finish.

The visitors fought hard for an equaliser, but the late sending off of Serif Hasic ended their challenge, as the 2019 Singapore Cup winners claimed all three points.

The win puts Tampines Rovers second on the group table, behind Kaya FC-Iloilo, who beat Shan United 2-0 earlier on Wednesday.

In the club’s first continental appearance since the 2011 AFC President’s Cup, Neftchi secured victory on the day thanks to Oleksandr Ihnatenko’s goal just after half time, putting the 2019 Kyrgyzstan Cup winners within 90 minutes of the group stage.

Both sides had to battle the elements at Jalal-Abad’s Kurmanbek Stadium, where the pitch had been buried under snow on the eve of the match, but Zakirov was delighted that his charges had been able achieve a positive result.

After a goalless first half, Ibrahim Mahudhee gave Maziya the lead only for Bengaluru to reply through Francisco Nili's penalty. Cornelius Ezekiel's late strike, however, gave the Maldives side the first leg advantage.

The sides meet again in the return leg next week with the winners earning a place in Group E alongside India’s Chennai City FC, TC Sports Club of Maldives and Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings

Than Quang Ninh were reduced to 10 men early on at Bali’s Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium but the hosts fell behind to Jamaican Jeremie Lynch’s goal and went into the interval trailing despite their man advantage.

But the Indonesian champions came out firing after the restart with Rahmat Syamsuddin equalising almost immediately, before Platje netted a fine volley and a superb curling effort into the top corner either side of an Ilija Spasojevic penalty to complete a resounding win.