The two-legged Inter-Zone semi-final is new territory for Singapore's Home United. They missed out on this stage last year after a defeat in the ASEAN Zonal final to Ceres, but successfully eliminated the Filipino club when faced with them again earlier this month.

In the first leg at Panaad Park and Football Stadium, star player Song Ui-young was missing from the 1-1 draw with injury, however the midfielder's timely return for the return meeting in Singapore saw the Korean net his eighth goal of the campaign as Home United ran out 2-0 winners on the night and 3-1 on aggregate to become the AFC Cup's Southeast Asian club kings.

Having scored eight goals in six games, An was the standout player as 4.25 swept everyone aside in Group I to top the standings with a perfect record. In doing so, the Pyongyang team amassed a group stage high 23 goals while conceding just two as they were crowned East Asia Zonal champions.

The next challenge for 4.25 SC is an Inter-Zone semi-final clash against Home United, with the first leg to be played in Singapore on Tuesday, and if An can continue a rich vein of form that has included three successive braces, they will fancy their chances of eclipsing last year’s performance and advancing to the Inter-Zone final.

The attacking midfielder, from Korea Republic, sits two goals behind the tournament’s leading scorers, Bienvenido Maranon of Ceres Negros and Yangon United’s Sekou Sylla, and one adrift of Persija Jakarta’s Marko Simic – a trio who have all been eliminated from the competition.

The 3-1 aggregate win heals the wounds from their loss to Ceres at the same point of the competition in 2017, and sets up an intriguing clash against DPR Korea side 4.25 SC in the Inter-Zone semi-finals.

The Ashgabat-based club were crowned Central Asia Zonal champions after Mihail Titow’s 97th-minute goal in May ousted Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol to book a date with India’s JSW Bengaluru, who Istiklol eliminated in last year’s competition en route to their second appearance in the final.

With Central Asian sides having been represented in the AFC Cup in every edition but one since the inaugural tournament in 2004, the-AFC.com looks back at how its sides have performed over the years as Altyn Asyr look to continue the region’s recent upward trajectory.

The 59-year-old former Iraqi international's most recent appointment was as the Iraq national team head coach, with a friendly against Palestine earlier in August his final match in charge.

Qasim also previously handled the Iraq U-17 and U-19 teams as well as several clubs in Iraq and Yemen.

His major success was guiding Air Force Club to their inaugural AFC Cup title in 2016, before leaving shortly after to coach the Iraqi team.

The Falcons went on to secure their second consecutive club Continental title the following year.

Despite his young age, Musa Al Taamari's pace, skill and goals have lit up the 2018 AFC Cup as he drove Al Jazeera into their first ever Zonal Final where they face reigning champions Air Force Club later this month. His impressive displays have been rewarded with a transfer to 27-time Cypriot champions APOEL, perennial contenders in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

As he takes on the challenge of moving to a new continent, one of Asia's brightest young talents will also be hoping to inspire Jordan to success in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in a few months' time. Al Taamari spoke to the-AFC.com about his AFC Cup memories and ambitions for the future.