The 2016 AFC Cup top goalscorer scored the only goal of the night on Tuesday as Air Force Club came away from Amman with a valuable win over Jordan’s Al Jazeera to edge a step closer to the final.

Ahmed’s strike just after the hour mark took his tally in the competition to five goals, one behind Amjed Radhi, the side’s top scorer in this year’s AFC Cup campaign.

East Asia Zonal champions 4.25 went into the match boasting a 100 percent record, having won all eight of their games on the continent, and ran out 11-1 aggregate winners over Singapore’s Home United in the Inter-Zone semi-finals last month.

O Yun-son’s side appeared to have started where they left off when captain An Il-bom gave them the lead on the 15-minute mark in what was the tournament’s leading scorer’s 12th goal of the campaign.

Chances were far and few between in the opening half; Mahmoud Al Mardi’s effort from the edge of the box was saved in two stages by Air Force Club goalkeeper Fahad Talib 10 minutes in.

Meanwhile, the visitors’ most dangerous chance of the half came in the 28th minute when Ibrahim Bayesh squared for skipper Ahmed, whose strike from an angle hit the side netting.

The pattern continued after the break, with the Jordanians enjoying marginally more possession. At the hour mark, the hosts had a golden chance after Ahmed Al Attar broke free on the left wing before crossing to the onrushing Ahmed Samir, but the Al Jazeera captain could not direct his header and watched in agony as his attempt went just wide.

Following the introduction of a new format last year, Jordan's Al Jazeera are set to lock horns with the reigning champions for a place in the 2018 AFC Cup final, where the West Asia Zonal final winners face the Inter-Zone final winners.

Air Force Club have only lost one tie in the competition since last year, against Syria's Al Wahda in the first leg of the 2017 West Asia Zonal final.