Tavares, a two-time Vietnam national team head coach, has also managed several top clubsides in Asia previously with Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal FC, China PR’s Chongqing Lifan and Sepahan of the Islamic Republic of Iran among them.

Tavares, 63, handled Vietnam in 1995 and 2004 and was also head coach of the Jordan and Haiti national teams.

The sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the first leg of the Inter-Zone Final in Hanoi last week but 4.25’s pair of away goals in Vietnam ensures they will begin the return meeting with an advantage.

Recently crowned Vietnamese champions Hanoi will now need to do what no other side has managed in the AFC Cup: win in Pyongyang – or secure a high-scoring draw – if they are to progress to a first Continental final.

The visitors, meanwhile, would have been satisfied to leave the Vietnamese capital without suffering defeat and can look ahead to the return meeting on home soil, where they have never been beaten in the AFC Cup.

Rim put the visitors in front in the 19th minute when he finished from just a few yards out, but 4.25 found themselves 2-1 down by the half hour as Nguyen Van Quyet and Papa Ibou Kebe netted to raise the volume inside Hang Day Stadium. 

Hanoi then had a number of golden chances to increase their lead but, after failing to make their dominance count, striker Kim Yu-song stunned the home support with just three minutes remaining when his left-foot strike from 25 yards flew into the back of the net to seal the draw.

After the hosts had fallen behind to Rim Chol-min's close-range finish in the 19th minute, Kebe teed up Hanoi captain Nguyen Van Quyet for his seventh goal of the campaign, before the Frenchman put his side in front shortly before the half hour with his first AFC Cup goal. 

But after the Vietnamese side had missed a number of second-half opportunities, they were caught out by a late sucker punch when Kim Yu-song’s strike from distance was too good for substitute goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung as the visitors secured a 2-2 draw.

Al Jazeera had several chances to put the tie to bed at the Amman International Stadium but allowed Al Ahed to walk away with a goalless draw, leaving next week's return leg enticingly poised.

Al Jazeera had a slight edge over the 90 minutes but another resolute defensive performance from Al Ahed meant the teams couldn't be separated, leaving next week's return leg enticingly poised.