For almost the entirety of the 2024-25 ASEAN Club Championship, prior to the semifinals, Vietnam's Công An Hà Nội looked the team to beat.
Although Thai League 1 outfits Buriram United and BG Pathum United were widely regarded as the frontrunners, CAHN rose to the occasion right from the start and swept aside all who stood in their way.
Starting with a statement 2-1 win over Buriram, CAHN racked up four more consecutive victories over Lion City Sailors, Kaya FC-Iloilo, Kuala Lumpur City and Borneo Samarinda to be the only team with a perfect record in the group stage.
Facing off against Group A runners-up PSM Makassar in the semis, CAHN were widely expected to continue their winning ways -- and for good reason.
After all, this has been a side littered with Vietnam internationals -- many of whom were involved in the recent ASEAN Championship triumph at the start of the year.
And with foreign stars like Léo Artur, Vitão and Hugo Gomes, as well as rising star Lê Văn Đô, chipping in with vital contributions, it means that stalwarts such as Nguyễn Quang Hải, Vũ Văn Thanh and Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh have not had to do the heavy lifting all by themselves.
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CAHN's 15 goals also made them the most-prolific outfit in the group stage, while the defence also stood up well as they conceded just five.
Somehow, at the end of 90 minutes at the start of the month, CAHN found themselves on the receiving end of a 1-0 first-leg defeat.
Credit has to go to PSM as they remained resolute despite having just 37% of the possession while also boasting just six shots to CAHN's 11.
With one of just two efforts on target, PSM snatched the victory in the 80th minute as Yuran Fernandes met a corner with a perfectly-guided header into the back of the net.
Still, the Liga 1 outfit will be aware that they can ill afford to get ahead of themselves.
Since that defeat, CAHN have notched three wins and a draw on the domestic front.
Coached by Alexandré Pölking, who famously presided over Thailand's most-recent era of success, CAHN will be hoping they are now firmly back on the right track following a slump in form which saw them pick up just one win in seven outings.
Currently 6th in V.League 1, a repeat of their stunning 2023 title triumph -- which came in their first season after promotion -- looks beyond them although the ten-point gap between them and leaders Thép Xanh Nam Định is still mathematically assailable with a game in hand.
Success could also come in the form of the Vietnamese Cup with a semifinal against Thể Công-Viettel taking place next month.
But perhaps CAHN's best chance of silverware this season remains in the one competition where they have looked the team to beat all campaign long.
First, they need to overturn a deficit on Wednesday evening and book their place in the ASEAN Club Championship final.