Brunei DPMM FC claimed a slender advantage over Home United in their RHB Singapore Cup semifinal after recording a 3-2 win in Friday's first leg at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
The Protectors were initially headed for victory after goals by Azhar Sairudin and Ambroise Begue early in the second half cancelled out Paulo Sergio's seventh-minute opener.
But Azwan Ali equalised for the designated hosts in the 63rd minute when he scored with a classic free kick, before Rafael Ramazotti popped up to score the winner with four minutes left on the clock.
The defeat would have been bitter to take for the Protectors, especially considering the fact that they were arguably the dominant side throughout the 90 minutes.
They did get off to a poor start when hesitant defending allowed Sergio to latch onto Ramazotti's flick-on header inside the box and finish past Shahril Jantan.
But after DPMM keeper Wardun Yussof did well to thwart them on several occasions, Home did eventually level the scores in the 56th minute when Azhar found space on the edge of the box and clinically finished into the bottom corner.
The Protectors then edged ahead just two minutes later when Begue netted with a thumping volley from eight yards out, after Ken Ilso did brilliantly to break free down the left and cut the ball back into his path.
Yet, an error from Shahril then enabled the Bruneian outfit to get back into the contest three minutes after the hour mark, as he allowed a fairly tame 25-yard freekick by Azwan to squirm under his body and in at the near post.
Then, in the 86th minute, DPMM went on to complete the come-from-behind victory; Ramazotti finding space in the box and meeting Maududi Hilmi's inch-perfect cross with a firm header into the back of the net.
Although DPMM coach Steve Kean admitted his side were not at their best, he was still satisfied that his charges managed to eke out the win.
"I think the delay (due to the haze) affected everybody," he said. "We didn't pass the ball well but sometimes you have to give credit to the opponents -- they pressed us very well in the middle of the pitch.
"I told the boys at half time we had to play more one-touch football and we did that much better after the break.
"The big factor behind the win was that we didn't have many chances but we were clinical."
Meanwhile, Home boss Philippe Aw is heartened by the way his charges dominated proceedings despite ultimately succumbing to defeat.
"Of course, we wanted to come out from the first leg with a good result," he said.
"But there's still a second leg to play and a one-goal deficit is definitely something we can overcome.
"If we can repeat this dominant performance, and of course shore up defensively, we can win by two goals and still qualify for the final."
Brunei DPMM FC: Wardun Yussof, Helmi Zambin, Rosmin Kamis, Brian McLean, Sairol Sahari, Aminuddin Zakwan, Joe Gamble, Maududi Hilmi, Paulo Sergio (Azwan Saleh 46'), Azwan Ali, Rafael Ramazotti
Home United: Shahril Jantan, Ang Zhiwei, Abdil Qaiyyim, Noh Rahman, Juma'at Jantan (Sufianto Salleh 80'), Yasir Hanapi, Song Ui-young, Ambroise Begue, Azhar Sairudin (Stanely Ng 66'), Kamel Ramdani, Ken Ilso