Mehdi Taremi signed off a sensational debut year with FC Porto with one final goal, Eldor Shomurodov and Sam Kerr finished their respective campaigns by finding the back of the net and a pair of Japanese wingers made crucial contributions for their clubs.

But who deserves to be the final AFC International Player of the Week for the 2020/21 season? As always, take your time to study our 10 nominees and vote for your favourite.

The COVID-19 pandemic restricted the Asian Qualifiers to just four matches since November 2019, but after much anticipation, the stage is set for 57 matches to be played over 19 days of thrilling action as the race to qualify for the final rounds of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ reaches its climax in eight centralised venues across the Continent.

Al Ahed have collected a point so far with a goalless draw against Syria’s Al Wahda, as have Al Hidd who drew with the Syrian side 1-1, thanks to legendary Saudi Arabia striker Nasser Al Shamrani’s equaliser.

Al Hidd’s two previous encounters against Al Ahed came in the 2016 AFC Cup group stage, losing 5-2 and 1-0, but the Bahraini side will hope that this bears no effect on how things pan out this time.

Earlier in the day, Lebanon’s Al Ansar face Bahrain’s Muharraq Club in the other Matchday Three encounter, and with all four teams level on three points, head-to-head results and goal-difference will make every bit of difference with the group winners as well as the best runners-up from the three West Zone groups progressing to the Zonal semi-finals.

Neighbours Al Salt and Balata Center, located less than 150 miles apart, are both competing in their first AFC Cup campaign, with the Jordanian side gaining promotion to the top division for the first time in their history in 2018-19 and the Palestinians winning their first-ever Palestine Pro League title in 2020.

Muharraq have managed a win and a loss so far, as have each of the other three sides in the group including Al Ansar, making for a mouthwatering final matchday for the group with all four teams standing a shot at winning the group.

The two sides have met previously in Group A of the 2008 AFC Cup, with the first game ending in a goalless draw and the second ending with an emphatic 4-1 victory for eventual champions Muharraq.

With five AFC Cup titles between them, Al Faisaly and Kuwait SC are the most successful clubs present in the current edition, but the two sides have never met in the competition.

Both sides are already eliminated from the competition ahead of their final game, but pride and a historic first-ever AFC Cup win are at stake as Group C concludes in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Tishreen started their journey in style, showing character and determination to come back from behind on three occasions and earn a 3-3 draw against the competition’s record winners Kuwait SC on Matchday One.