Shabab Al Ahli, Pakhtakor share points in AFC Champions League tie

The first threatening shot came in the most awkward of ways, when Ceran attempted a shot that flew high up and back down again, just scraping the crossbar and requiring keeper Majed Naser to intervene and concede a corner.

The Tashkent-based side threatened again close to the end of the first half, when a series of passes between Ceran and his teammates ended with the Serbian passing it to teammate Khojiakbar Alijonov who fired at Shabab Al Ahli’s goal but his shot was wide.

Shabab Al Ahli’s biggest chance of the first half came through 2015 AFC Player of the Year Ahmed Khalil, with the Emirati forward taking on a direct free-kick from far out and hitting the crossbar.

Early in the second half, 2015 Asian Young Player of the Year Dostonbek Khamdamov received a lofted pass into the area, where he rose to head it in from an extremely tight angle, marginally missing and hitting the side netting instead.

Gerard Zaragoza’s men came agonisingly close shortly after the hour mark, when substitute Ahmed Al Attas received the ball at the edge of the area and attempted a cheeky dink above keeper Eldorbek Suyonov, who just about managed to tip it away with his fingers.

A few minutes later, substitute Azizjon Ganiev almost managed to score from a corner kick, though it took a botched clearance to hit the bar and back out into play.

The Dubai-based side’s keeper Naser was exceptional throughout, but his late save from Pakhtakor’s Ceran - a stinging shot to the 36-year-old’s right - was the highlight of his evening as he kept a third clean sheet in a row.

The two sides will have to wait till the final round of matches to confirm either side’s qualification, with Shabab Al Ahli up against group leaders Al Hilal SFC who have already qualified, and Pakhtakor facing the already eliminated Shahr Khodro FC.