In Singapore’s fifth FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 qualifying match, the Southeast Asians took a 19th minute lead, before doubling their advantage in the 52nd minute and then seeing off a late Yemen revival to secure the three points.

Syria made it five wins from five to seize control of Group A as the West Asians will take a whopping eight-point lead into 2020 after defeating Philippines 1-0.

Turkmenistan will also head into the new year as Group H leaders, with their 1-0 win over Sri Lanka and the Lebanon-DPR Korea tie ending in a goalless stalemate giving the Central Asian side a one-point lead.

The Asian Qualifiers will resume on March 26.

Ikhsan Fandi gave Singapore the lead in the first half before a Mohammad Hafiz Nor stunner after the break secured three points for Tatsuma Yoshida's charges at the Sheikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium.

The win took Singapore into third place on seven points, with Uzbekistan (9) and Saudi Arabia (8) ahead of the Southeast Asian side.

Eldor Shomurodov’s fifth and sixth goals of the campaign laid the foundations for the success, one which has edged Uzbekistan ever nearer to an eighth AFC Asian Cup appearance and, in the process, undoubtedly helped ease painful memories of last week’s loss to fellow high-flyers Saudi Arabia.

The result leaves Vadim Abramov’s charges occupying pole position, one point ahead of the second-placed Saudis and a further four clear of a Palestine side whose hopes of progressing have been left hanging by a thread following a fourth successive match without a win.

Myanmar followed up Thursday's 4-3 win over Tajikistan with a 1-0 defeat of Mongolia on Tuesday to revive their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 qualifying campaign.

The wins, which followed three consecutive defeats, have to be credited to head coach Antoine Hey, who has steadied the ship after replacing Miodrag Radulovic at the helm last month.

Muhammad Safawi Rasid was the star of the night with two wonderful goals but Tan said all his players contributed to the victory as Malaysia made it two wins on the trot, having beaten Thailand 2-1 in their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 qualifier on Thursday.

The win, coupled with Vietnam and Thailand playing to a goalless draw in Hanoi, saw Malaysia move up to second in the Group G standings on nine points from three wins and two defeats.

Afif scored the winning goal from the penalty spot 14 minutes from time as the Asian champions were made to work hard in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 qualification tie by a resilient Afghanistan at the Republican Central Stadium.