Abu Dhabi: A 10-man Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia put up a spirited performance to split points with Al Wahda with a 2-2 draw in the AFC Champions League Group D fixture at the Al Nahyan Stadium on Tuesday.

For Al Wahda, Sebastian Tagliabue and Balázs Dzsudzsák scored a goal apiece, while Nawaf Al Abid put the visitors in the lead and Omar Khrbin later completed the tally.

The visitors took the lead in the fifth minute of play. Al Abid, left unmarked inside the box, did well to trap the ball sent in by Mohammad Al Burayk before slotting home with a left-footed effort.

Al Wahda drew level just before the half time whistle on a counter. Mohammad Al Mehali punted the ball forward and Argentinian forward Tagliabue timed his run to perfection before finding the goal with a power-packed effort.

That effort was enough to give the much needed impetus to the hosts and they kept pressing after the change of ends. They were rewarded in the 55th minute on a poor clearance following a set piece. Hungarian national team captain Dzsudzsák blasted the goal with a left-footed effort and Al Wahda led 2-1.

Al Hilal landed in more trouble after they were reduced to 10-men in the 61st minute. Their goal scorer, Al Abid pocketed the second yellow card of the match following a poor tackle on Al Wahda defender Al Menhali.

However, as seen in the previous encounters, Al Wahda conceded a needless goal against the run of play in the 69th minute. Khrbin, left to go free, scored on the second attempt after this first shot was blocked by an onrushing Al Wahda goalkeeper Rashed Ali.

Both teams then faced some anxious moments towards the end, but somehow held their defences tightly to be on level terms.

In another encounter, Saudi outfit Al-Fateh handed Al Jazira a 3-1 defeat in the Group B encounter at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Stadium.

The hosts took the lead as early as in the 12th minute. Ali Al Zaqan found the bottom left corner of the goal with a right-footed effort after being set by Ahmad Al Mubarak.

Al Jazira equalised through Ali Mabkhout in the 38th minute with a fine effort from outside the box, but Al-Fateh managed to restore their lead a minute into the first half injury time. Hamad Al Juhaim, slotted home with a measured header off a cross from Tawfiq Buhumaid.

Five minutes after the switchover, Al-Fateh widened the lead to 3-1 with Zaqan completing his brace with a brilliantly taken free-kick that settled into the top right corner of the goal.