Al Karamah kept themselves on course for a second successive appearance in the final of the AFC Cup on Tuesday.

The Syria side booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan's Nasaf at Khaled Ibn Waleed Stadium. Al Karamah lost out to Kuwait Sports Club in last year's tournament and it took a late penalty for them to keep alive their hopes of winning the title this time.

Haani Al Taiar was fouled inside the area with 14 minutes remaining and Hassan Abbas made no mistake from the penalty spot. Al Karamah were joined in the last eight by Al Riffa after the Bahrain champions claimed a 3-1 win over South China at Hong Kong Stadium.

Al Riffa had stormed into a two-goal lead midway through the first half with strikes from Abdulrahman Mubarak and Husain Salman before Lee Chi Ho halved the deficit before the break. However, substitute Ismaeel Abdullatif made certain of victory when he struck with nine minutes remaining.

Elsewhere, Muangthong produced a shock victory over Al Rayyan of Qatar after the Thais won 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Al Rayyan Sports Stadium. The visitors took the lead after 17 minutes through Teerasil Dangda but former Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves levelled from the spot in the 40th minute.

Neither side could find a winner in the second half as well as the 30 minutes of extra time and Dangda scored the winning penalty after Muangthong goalkeeper Kawin Thamsatchanan had saved a spot kick from Al Rayyan's Daniel Goumou.

Penalties were also needed to separate Kazma and Shabab Al Ordon as the former won 6-5 after the game had ended 1-1 at Friendship and Peace Stadium following extra time. Zaolo Kapolongo had put Shabab Al Ordon ahead in first-half stoppage time before Ali Al Mashmoum was sent off for Kazma.

Yousef Al Soliman equalised for the Kuwait side in the 68th minute before goalkeeper Ahmad Al Fadhli denied Waseem Al Bzoor in the shootout after extra time to send Kazma into September's quarter-finals.