Vitaliy Levchenko’s men prevailed 1-0 over FC Khatlon thanks to a last gasp winner from Ukrainian defender Oleksiy Larin, whose strike in the fourth minute of added time sealed a sixth FFT Cup title for Istiklol.

The match was played in front of a 5,000-strong crowd at Dushanbe’s Central Republican Stadium, with fans of both sides turning out in numbers at the dawn of a promising new season for Tajik football.

As the kick-off date for the historic 2021 edition approaches, the-AFC.com looks back at the 2020 tournament which turned out to be a thrilling affair despite the challenging circumstances.

We kicked off the series in style, with fans voting Persepolis FC's Mehdi Abdi Qara as the winner of Best Headers of 2020. Our next installment looks at the fabulous goals scored from free-kicks and invite you, the fan, to tell us which was your favourite.

Hailing from a uniquely passionate footballing nation but - with a few notable exceptions - one which has tended to keep its top players on home soil, Indonesia’s youth brigade of 2021 is travelling far and wide in a bid to enhance their prospects of stardom.

So, who are these ambitious youngsters, where are they playing, and what should we expect?

Join the-AFC.com as we profile eight Indonesian players abroad aged 21 or younger – five based in Europe and three in Asia – and let us know which one has the greatest potential.

Marc Klok, Persija Jakarta’s Dutch-Indonesian midfielder, has walked the same path, only in reverse, and is well-positioned to analyse the pressures and possibilities Indonesia’s youngsters will soon grow accustomed to.

In a wide-ranging interview, Klok reveals the benefits of breaking through one’s comfort zone, Bagus Kahfi’s chances of thriving in his former home of Utrecht and his own triumphs and struggles as a footballer navigating a lost year, but with an eye on a bright future

Abdikholikov makes the switch from to Rukh Uzbekistan Super League outfit FC Nasaf, putting pen to paper on a three-year contract. He will wear the number 16 shirt.

The 23-year-old arrives in Ukraine after a 112-game, 45-goal stint in the Uzbek top flight, including 17 goals in 25 league matches last season; a tally which made him the second highest scorer in the league behind Pakhtakor’s Dragan Ćeran.

The latest match schedule for Match Days 7 and 8 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2, which is scheduled to take place on March 25 and 30, 2021 is as follows:

Japan's position at the top of the Asian rankings, however, will come under threat in the coming weeks as national team football is set to return with the resumption of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.