Nguyen Hai Huy’s goal 20 minutes from time earned the visitors a share of the points after OJ Porteria had given Ceres the lead eight minutes earlier in a see-saw game that had seen Jeremie Lynch’s opener for the Vietnamese cancelled out by Bienvenido Maranon’s penalty.

Hai Huy netted eight minutes after OJ Porteria had given Ceres the lead for the first time as Bienvenido Maranon’s penalty at the end of the first half had cancelled out Jeremie Lynch’s opener for the visitors.

Risto Vidakovic’s side now sit on top of Group G with four points from their first two games, one point more than second-placed duo Bali United of Indonesia and Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng from Cambodia.

Hoy Phallin and Jean Befolo Mbaga were on target for Svay Rieng in the first half before Ilija Spasojevic pulled one back for Bali United but it was not enough as the Cambodian side held on for the win.

The win meant Svay Rieng collected their first win after two matches, while Bali United are also on three points, having beaten Vietnam’s Than Quang Ninh on Matchday One.

The Vietnamese side were cruising at 3-0 after an Amido Balde double followed Nguyen Cong Phuong’s opening goal, but a late brace from Hougang’s Stipe Plazibat meant the visitors’ handsome lead nearly evaporated

Eventually secured, Ho Chi Minh City’s three points see them leapfrog their Singaporean opponents into second place in the group, with Hougang dropping down to third.

First-half strikes from Aung Kyaw Naing, who finished with a brace, and Maung Maung Lwin had the hosts cruising at 2-0 up at half-time, but they were forced to endure a brave second-half revival from the visitors, who reduced the deficit to a single goal on two occasions.

Yangon’s win takes them to four points from two matches, while Lao Toyota remain rooted to the bottom of the table after back to back defeats.

Al Ansar's Senegalese striker El Hadji Malick Tall scored a brace, including a penalty deep into stoppage time, at Beirut's Sports City Stadium to steer the Lebanese outfit to their first victory, having suffered a 1-0 defeat to Kuwait SC in their opening match.

On Monday, the defending champions suffered their first defeat in the competition since May 2018 as Bahrain’s Manama Club proved too good for a side that bore little resemblance to the one that tasted Continental glory to, in turn, pick up their maiden AFC Cup victory.