Al Shabab and Al Gharafa split points

Dubai: Visiting Al Gharafa of Qatar split points with Al Shabab with a goalless draw in their opening Group D match of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League here late on Wednesday.

Al Shabab have themselves to blame for not coming through with all three points as they missed some good chances on goal especially on the counter.

They started on a promising note and had an opportunity coming their way as early as the 15th minute when a first-time touch from skipper Adel Abdullah found Jociel Ferreira [Ciel] in the open on the right, but the Brazilian’s try went wide off the post.

Ciel was once again in the thick of the action in the 25th minute when a clever ball from Carlos Villanueva caught the entire defence off-guard, but unfortunately Ciel’s shot crashed into a defender.

On the 28th minute an Azizbek Hydarov shot caught the Al Gharafa goalkeeper by surprise, and he managed to spill the ball over the goalline for a corner that in fact nearly gave Al Shabab a goal when goalkeeper Qasim Burhan stretched to save a Walid Abbas try and injure himself in the bargain.

The second half got off to a promising start and could have gone clear within three minutes of the start, but Ciel’s free kick hit the cross bar and was cleared for an abortive corner.

The visitors pressed on the counter, quite content with things going their way as long as Al Shabab were unable to find a goal. Once again, Al Shabab did a lot of hard work with Hydarov working overtime, being a defender and a provided all at once.

It was one such delivery from the Uzbek international in the 72nd minute that found Brazilian Kieza with a header that just whizzed past the upright.

Five minutes later came the home side’s best chance when Ciel laid for Villanueve at the edge of the box, but the Chilean deflected the ball out with only substitute goalkeeper Abdul Aziz Ali to beat.

Al Shabab pressed hard for a goal and they had one last chance in the 85th minute when substitute Nasser Masoud connected a cross from Abdullah Darwish, but saw his header go wide off the target.

The second match of the group was between Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Iran's Pirouzi being played in Saudi Arabia later on Wednesday night.