Al Ain: Inaugural AFC Champions League winners Al Ain maintained their unbeaten start to the 2015 campaign as Zlatko Dalic’s side drew 1-1 with Pakhtakor in Group B action on Tuesday.
The draw moves Al Ain – semi-finalists in last year’s competition and winners in 2003 – to six points from their opening four matches, and ensures they remain a point ahead of the Uzbek side.
Jires Kembo-Ekoko gave Al Ain the lead after just 20 minutes before Uzbekistan international striker Igor Sergeev levelled on the stroke of half time.
Pakhtakor opened in a lively fashion but it was Al Ain who took the lead after putting the visitors under pressure.
Kembo-Ekoko (pictured left) received a neat pass from Rashed Eisa inside the area before slotting the ball into the net with a first time shot that beat goalkeeper Alexander Lobanov to his right.
Al Ain looked set to hold on to their lead until the half-time break but, with just seconds remaining of first-half stoppage time, Pakhtakor levelled. Aleksandr Merzlyakov’s cross from the right found its way beyond the Al Ain defence and Sergeev netted with a header from an acute angle.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Pakhtakor started the second half brightly, but it was Al Ain who fashioned the best chance of the early stages of the half when Lee Myung-joo shot wide from inside the area.
But it was not until the 80th minute that the home side had another chance when Omar Abdulrahman sent his free kick just wide after the United Arab Emirates international was up-ended on the edge of the penalty area.
Kembo-Ekoko then shot straight at Lobanov with only six minutes remaining while substitute Saeed Alkhatheeri sent his attempt over the bar three minutes from time.
Al Ain, though, were unable to turn their dominance into another goal and the teams shared the spoils to leave their hopes of progressing to the Round of 16 intact.
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