Five goals from three matches have put the 27-year-old two clear in the race to be top-scorer. He netted both in Iraq's 2-1 win over favourites Japan as the Lions of Mesopotamia strutted out of Group D with three wins.

The Air Force FC striker cuts an imposing figure. With his side 1-0 down against Vietnam at the interval, he came off the bench for an eventful second half: scoring, missing a penalty, then scoring another in stoppage time.

Forward Afif was one of the stars of Qatar's 2019 Asian Cup win and is leading their charge on home soil. The 27-year-old scored two goals to spearhead his team's 3-0 win over Lebanon and was on target with Tajikistan 1-0.

Afif had spells in Belgium and Spain earlier in his career and has said he would leave Qatar's Al-Sadd to go back to Europe "tomorrow" if the opportunity was right.