The slow elimination of defending champions Al Muharraq, of Bahrain, was finally complete on Tuesday after they lost 3-2 at home to Syria’s Al Maged, who topped Group E.

In a sign of the changing landscape of the AFC Cup, two-time champions Al Faisaly, of Jordan, were also eliminated in Group E after their 3-1 away loss to India’s Dempo, who proved that last year’s semi-final run was no flash in the pan.

Dempo now travel to the home of Kuwait SC next week for the one-off round of 16 clash.

Kuwait SC won Group D ahead of Syria’s Al Karamah. Both teams have previously played in the ACL with Al Karamah reaching the final in 2006.

The Syrians are among the favourites to win the AFC Cup, which is a stepping stone to next year’s ACL.

Hong Kong’s South China had the best record of any team in the competition, winning Group F with 16 points from five wins and a draw.

Their closing 2-1 home win over Maldivians VB on Tuesday set them up for a difficult last 16 clash next week against visiting Singaporeans Home United, who reached the quarter-finals last year.

There will be an all-Iraqi clash next month with Zawra’a Club taking on Arbil. Zawra’a won Group B ahead of Lebanon’s Safa SC while Arbil qualified for the last 16 by finishing second to Kuwait’s Al Arabi in Group C.

Uzbekistan’s Neftchi are the only Central Asian club in the competition and they duly took their place in the knockout phase by finishing second in Group A behind Bahrain’s Busaiteen.

Neftchi travel to Syria next week to face Al Maged while Busaiteen are at home to Al Karamah.

Vietnam’s Becamex Binh Duong FC pipped Home United to emerge as the top team in Group H, and their reward is a home clash against Malaysia’s Kedah, who are triple champions in domestic competitions.

In another All-Asean affair, Thailand’s Chonburi, the winners of Group G, host Group F runners-up PSMS Medan, of Indonesia.

In this year’s revamped AFC Cup, the last 16 is a straight-forward one-match knockout round. The competition returns to a home-and-away format from the quarter-final stage onwards.

Five matches are being played on Tuesday while the other three are scheduled for June 23.

AFC Cup Last 16 match-ups

May 26
Al Maged (Syria) v Neftchi (Uzbekistan)
Kuwait SC (Kuwait) v Dempo SC (India)
Al Arabi (Kuwait) v Safa SC (Lebanon)
Zawra’a Club (Iraq) v Arbil (Iraq)
Busaiteen (Bahrain) v Al Karamah (Syria)

June 23
South China (Hong Kong) v Home United FC (Singapore)
Chonburi Football Club (Thailand) v PSMS Medan (Indonesia)
Becamex Binh Duong FC (Vietnam) v Kedah (Malaysia)