The Singaporean side made the final of the ASEAN Zone for the past two years, winning last year’s tie against Ceres Negros to advance to the Inter-zone semi-finals, and coming into this year’s campaign they once again have ambitions of going deep into the tournament.

It was the home side that started the brightest too, with Adam Swandi pouncing on an errant back pass to force a fine save out of Rivki Mokodompit.

Ryomyong are now one step closer to their first-ever appearance in the AFC Cup but will face Hong Kong’s Wofoo Tai Po in a two-legged East play-off round on March 6 and 13.

The winners will join Hong Kong's Kitchee SC, DPR Korea's 4.25 SC and Hang Yuen FC of Chinese Taipei in Group I.

The two sides were pitted in the same group for the second year running, and Malkiya produced a repeat of the result they got at the same ground in the 2018 edition.

Unlike ten months ago, it was Al Suwaiq who opened the scoring this time. The hosts’ first big chance of the game resulted in a goal.

A solo effort from winger Thamir Al Zaabi saw him dribble past two defenders then deliver a cross from the right flank that veteran Muhsen Al Ghassani met on the volley from close range to put Al Suwaiq in front halfway through the opening period.

The 2014 AFC Cup champions returned to the competition after a four-year absence following a FIFA ban on Kuwaiti football.

A quiet opening period only came to life ten minutes before the break as the hosts threatened for the first time through Martin Toshev.

The Kuwaiti defence failed to clear a Hussein Dakik cross, and the Bulgarian striker pounced on the rebound, but his miscued effort was cleared off the goal line.