Only Malaysia - thanks to a 7-1 win over Timor-Leste in the first leg - look to have sealed a place in the next stage of the Asian Qualifiers while there is still all to play for in the four other preliminary round ties being played on Tuesday.

An equally balanced first leg saw Bhutan take a slender lead going into Tuesday's match, thanks to Tshering Dorji's first half strike.

The South Asians will go into the return leg at the neutral venue of Al Ahli Club chasing a 2-0 deficit, after late goals by Sieng Chanthea and Kouch Sokumpheak gave Cambodia the advantage in Thursday's first leg.

Goals from captain Norjmoo Tsedenbal and Naranbold Nyam-Osor gave Mongolia a 2-0 win in Thursday's first leg in Ulaanbaatar but Brunei Darussalam head coach Robbie Servais is confident his team can turn it around at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

Forward Rabiul Hasan came off the bench to score in Thursday's first leg to give Bangladesh a vital win and with the return leg at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, the South Asians are optimistic of their chances of their place in the second round of the Asian Qualifiers.

A rampant Malaysia scored a 7-1 win to all but confirm their place in the next stage of the Asian Qualifiers but Tsukitate is looking at the bigger picture for Timor-Leste.

The Japanese coach opted for a young squad due to several factors and admitted that his players struggled to cope with the intensity of Malaysia's game.

But this week Normoojiin Tsedenbal managed just that when he struck the first goal of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 Preliminary Joint Qualification in his home town of Ulaanbaatar for the Mongolian national team who went on to win the opening game of the Road to Qatar and Road to China.

His left-foot strike from a free-kick in the ninth minute of the subsequent 2-0 victory against Brunei Darussalam meant that Tsedenbal will be remembered as the man who scored the first goal of a competition which will end with the Finals across Asia in Qatar in December 2022.