Al Ahli Saudi FC, the reigning AFC Champions League Elite champions, avoided defeat in their first match of the new campaign but were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah on Monday. The result came in the opening round of the league phase of the Asian competition.
The Saudi side dominated possession and created numerous chances from the start, but their forwards were wasteful in front of goal and failed to break the deadlock. That profligacy was punished in the 86th minute when Flamarion put Pakhtakor ahead, latching onto a through ball and finishing past Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in a one-on-one situation.
Al Ahli pushed for an equalizer in the dying moments and finally found it deep into stoppage time. Firas Al-Buraikan reacted quickest to a rebound after a shot from Eduard Spertsyan was parried by the Pakhtakor goalkeeper, tapping the ball into the net.
The home side nearly snatched a dramatic winner in the remaining minutes, but Spertsyan squandered a clear opportunity before the referee blew the final whistle.
The draw felt like a letdown for Al Ahli, who were the better team throughout and had been expected to secure a comfortable victory. The result leaves both Al Ahli and Pakhtakor on one point each in the West Group standings, level with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad and Qatar’s Al-Shamal, all sitting in fifth place.
Al Ahli’s supporters are growing anxious due to the team’s inconsistent performances, especially with a crucial match coming up on Saturday against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns for the African-Asian-Pacific Cup title.