The Vietnamese team had put in a superb first-leg performance yet Altyn Asyr’s two goals in Hanoi left the Southeast Asian side in a perilous position ahead of their visit to Ashgabat, where the hosts have not lost an AFC Cup game since May 2016.

Van Quyet extended Hanoi’s aggregate lead with an early poacher’s effort, then restored the two-goal buffer after Altyn Asyr captain Serdar Geldiyev netted the first of his two penalties just before half-time.

Geldiyev’s second successful spot-kick set up a grandstand finish with eight minutes remaining, but Hanoi survived the hosts’ desperate search for an equaliser to set up a meeting with either Abahani Limited Dhaka or 4.25 SC in the Inter-Zone Final.

The Bangladeshi club surprised many on their way to the Inter-Zone Semi-finals and topped that when they, again against expectations, defeated DPR Korea's 4.25 SC 4-3 in last week's first leg in Dhaka.

The run, as far as head coach Mario Lemos is concerned, mustn't stop as he is dreaming of Abahani playing the Inter-Zone final on home soil despite 4.25's formidable AFC Cup record on home soil.

A seven goal thriller wowed the crowds at Bangabandhu National Stadium as Abahani Limited Dhaka edged an action-packed 4-3 scoreline in last week's first leg for a slim advantage going into the return meeting in the DPR Korea capital.

The winners of the tie at Kim Il Sung Stadium will face either Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr or Hanoi FC of Vietnam in the Inter-Zone final next month.

The highest ranked side in the tournament, Mai Duc Chung’s side lived up their billing to add the regional title to the 2017 SEA Games gold medal they won in Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier, Myanmar defeated the Philippines 3-0 to finish in third place.

Elsewhere, things are tight at the top once more in Thailand while Ho Chi Minh City closed in on Hanoi FC in Vietnam in another exciting weekend of action across ASEAN.

Join the-AFC.com as we look at all the key moments of another significant weekend of action in Central Asian football.