SINGAPORE -- Considering their progress into the AFC Champions League Two knockout round had already been secured before they even took to the field on Thursday, BG Tampines Rovers' meeting with Kaya FC-Iloilo looked all set to be a qualification celebration.
And, for the first hour, that was certainly the case with the Stags running riot and cruising to a four-goal lead.
However, they then threatened to be the poopers of their own party as they took their foot off the pedal to allow Kaya to hit back with three goals in just 19 minutes -- before resettling with a late goal that sealed what ultimately had largely been a comfortable 5-3 victory.
In terms of advancing, the result would not have exactly mattered after a 2-0 win for Pohang Steelers over BG Pathum United in an earlier kickoff was enough to ensure that the latter could no longer finish inside the top two of Group H, ensuring the K League 1 outfit and Tampines would be marching on into the round of 16.
Perhaps that match did not conclude in time for the result to be conveyed to the Tampines players. Or maybe it only served to lift their spirits and remove any pressure they had heading into the contest.
Because, right from the opening whistle, the Stags would play with a verve and intent befitting a team with a first appearance in a continental knockout stage for the first time since 2016 to look forward.
Tampines always looked in control from the moment they broke the deadlock after just seven minutes -- when good pressing from Trent Buhagiar was enough to make Kaishu Yamazaki play what was still a criminally-underhit backpass.
Buhagiar immediately pounced, with his blistering pace taking him past Marco Casambre through on goal, before unselfishly squaring a pass to Hide Higashikawa -- who still had enough time and space to sell a fake to opposition goalkeeper Alfredo Cortez and ensure he had the entire goal to aim for.
Seven minutes after the half-hour mark, Takeshi Yoshimoto doubled the Stags' advantage in style after pouncing on a half-clearance outside the area, playing a neat one-two with Koya Kazama, before effortlessly gliding inside and then outside a couple of challenges before clinically dispatching a shot into the bottom corner.
Just two minutes after the break, a third goal arrived for the hosts through an electrifying, direct counterattack after a Kaya attack broke down on the left.
Kazama instantly launched a 60-yard ball to send Higashikawa charging towards goal and, although he was thwarted by a brave Cortez diving at his feet, the loose ball fell kindly to a supporting Buhagiar, who made a rather tricky finish look easy with an emphatic first-time effort into the top corner.
By the 56th minute, the contest - even as a dead rubber - should have been over.
Kazama was once again at the heart of it all, released by Glenn Kweh down the right from a well-worked move and carefully assessing all his options before picking the right one -- lofting the ball to the back post for an unmarked Higashikawa to steer a header home from a tight angle.
Then, somehow, Kaya -- through their own endeavour and a lack of from their opponents -- incredibly found a way back.
A fine header from a corner by Mike Ott in the 66th minute was followed up by Paolo Bugas netting on the rebound eight minutes later, after the former's initial shot had been saved by Syazwan Buhari.
The once seemingly-unassailable lead was then reduced to a single-goal margin in the 85th minute as Tampines continued to slack in their defensive efforts, allowing an underlapping Mar Diano to race onto an incisive pass from Jesus Melliza and drill in a low cross that Amirul Adli could only deflect into his own goal.
Kaya still had plenty of time to search for an equaliser but, unfortunately for them, it did not take long for that glimmer of hope to be extinguished.
Almost right from the restart, Tampines would score their fifth of the evening as Yoshimoto ventured forward once more from his left-back position before threading a slide-rule pass to substitute Faris Ramli, who calmly slotted past Cortez to secure the victory for his side.
It was a win that they did not exactly need but one they certainly would have been expected to claim, especially given how dominant they had been for much of the contest and the way it would have perfectly marked their progress to the next stage.
In the grander scheme of things, it could actually prove crucial as it maintained their three-point lead at the top of the group -- which means they now cannot be overtaken by Pohang due to their superior head-to-head record and should, theoretically, hand them a more-favourable draw in the round of 16.
Regardless, it will be an evening to celebrate for Tampines, especially after they looked to have an excellent chance to do the same last season -- only to shoot themselves in the foot on a number of occasions to ultimately fall in the group stage.
They then had to watch Singapore Premier League rivals Lion City Sailors go on to become the first club from the country to reach a continental final, perhaps left wondering what might have been.
The Sailors could still reach the last 16 but must win their final match and hope the other Group G tie goes their way.
Tampines will have no such worries in a fortnight.
They can already look forward to featuring in the round of 16, and certainly had a party to celebrate the occasion on Thursday.
Even if it was in danger of being ruined -- by their own doing -- for a while.