A frenetic final day of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 saw DPR Korea, the Philippines and Yemen taking the last three available spots on Tuesday.

Kyrgyz Republic ended their campaign with a 2-1 win over India in Group A but they had sealed their place in the Finals after defeating Myanmar 5-1 last Thursday.

Join the-AFC.com as we take a look at the three teams who have taken their place among the Continent’s best for next January’s extravaganza in the United Arab Emirates.

Coach Abraham Mebratu’s men learned of their qualification after the Philippines had beaten Tajikistan, Yemen’s direct rivals for second place, 2-1 earlier in the day and they will line up against the continent’s best next January when they make their tournament debut in the United Arab Emirates.

Their previous appearance in the Finals was in 1976 when South Yemen qualified.

Yemen came out of the blocks racing and were denied a certain scoring opportunity eight minutes into the match after a last-ditch tackle from Bishal Rai blocked Ayman Al Hajeri’s attempted finish inside the Nepali penalty box.

Abdulwasea Al Matari fired Yemen in front in the 24th minute, receiving Ala Al Sasi’s pass and cutting inside from the right flank before unleashing a thunderous drive from 30 yards out to beat the Nepalese goalkeeper Kiran Chemjong.

As the first half drew to a close, the visitors found the equaliser through Nawayug Shrestha who headed Rai’s free kick into the bottom corner of the Yemeni net in added time to send the two sides into the break level.

Needing a point to advance to the continental championship, the Philippines failed to convert a number of first-half chances before Akhtam Nazarov’s penalty opened the scoring for the visitors shortly after the hour.

Ingreso levelled with just over 15 minutes to play and Phil Younghusband netted the winner from the spot in the last minute as a place at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 was guaranteed.

The result also confirmed the Central Asians’ exit as their inferior head-to-head record with Yemen meant the West Asians have booked a place in the United Arab Emirates ahead of their game with Nepal later on Tuesday.

After a nervy start, the hosts soon settled into the match and Carli de Murga headed captain Younghusband’s corner from the left narrowly wide in the 11th minute, before Iain Ramsay’s dipping volley six minutes later forced a flying save from Tajikistan goalkeeper Abduaziz Mahkamov.

The Philippines created another opportunity on 25 minutes as Manny Ott slipped the ball wide to Ramsay who laid off to Daisuke Sato but his shot was superbly deflected wide by Davronjon Ergashev.

Simone Rota missed the best chance of the half seven minutes before the interval when the defender’s effort from 10 yards clipped the top of the bar on the way over after the visitors had failed to clear Ramsay’s corner from the right.

After securing qualification with a 5-1 victory over Myanmar on Thursday, the hosts continued their momentum and went in front inside two minutes at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium through Zemlianukhin’s calm finish.

Following a period of sustained pressure in the second half the Central Asians doubled their advantage when Murzaev rounded off a nice move, but Jeje Lalpekhlua’s late strike meant it was India who advanced as table-toppers due to a higher number of goals scored away from home.

The hosts took the lead in the second minute when Zemlianukhin converted Zhyrgalbek Uulu Kairat’s cross from the right to the delight of the vocal home support.

Rowllin Borges curled an excellent free-kick against the post from 25 yards out as the 20-minute mark approached, before Balwant Singh tapped in the rebound only to be flagged for offside.

Singh had the ball in the back of the net once more at the half hour mark but was again unlucky as the referee had blown for an earlier infringement.

Holicharan Narzary’s effort from a distance soon after was comfortably gathered by Kyrgyz Republic goalkeeper Pavel Matiash as India pushed for the equaliser.

Needing just a point to guarantee their progress to next January’s finals, first half goals from Jong Il-gwan and Pak Kwang-ryong sent DPR Korea on their way to collecting all three points and ending Hong Kong’s hopes in the process.

Hong Kong needed to win to qualify for the Finals for the first time since 1968, but the visitors’ hopes were hit early by the loss of defender Helio Goncalves, who was replaced just 11 minutes into the game by Tong Kin-man after sustaining a knee injury.

Yusuf gave the home side an early lead before doubling the West Asians' advantage midway through the first half as Bahrain went into the break with a comfortable advantage.

Sayed Redha Hashim added a third in the 64th minute and Abdulla Yaser rounded off the scoring shortly after as Bahrain advanced to the United Arab Emirates on top of the standings.

With both sides locked together on 10 points, top spot was at stake at Bahrain National Stadium, although it was the visitors who required victory if they were to progress above Bahrain.

The hosts started brightly and, after a sustained period of pressure, opened the scoring on 12 minutes through Yusuf when the forward received the ball with his back to goal, turned and fired a powerful effort past Turkmen goalkeeper Mamed Orazmuhamedov.

Yusuf then doubled his and his team’s tally in the 24th minute when he controlled a cross into the box on his chest and volleyed into the far right corner to open up a two-goal lead for the West Asians.

Al Hajri netted two minute from the end of a scrappy encounter between two teams who had already secured their tickets for next January’s Finals in the United Arab Emirates.

Palestine went into the game with a three-point advantage thanks to their victory on home soil earlier in qualifying and a draw would have been enough for them to hold on to pole position at the completion of the qualifying schedule.

But a tepid performance from both sides suggested a draw was the most likely outcome before Al Hajri’s late intervention.

Mohsin Al Khaldi saw his goal-bound attempt clawed to safety by Palestine goalkeeper 12 minutes from the end of a tight first half as neither side created much in front of goal.