Al Ahli rescued by late Feras Albrikan goal in disappointing AFC Champions League Elite draw

Al Ahli began their defence of the AFC Champions League Elite title with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Pakhtakor at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Monday.

The Saudi side dominated possession and created the clearer opportunities throughout the opening league-phase match, but failed to convert their chances and appeared set to suffer a damaging defeat when Pakhtakor struck four minutes from time.

Flamarion put the Uzbek club ahead in the 86th minute after breaking clear and rounding Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy before finding the net.

Al Ahli pushed forward in search of an equaliser and were rewarded in the third minute of added time. Eduard Spertsyan’s shot was saved, but the rebound fell to Feras Albrikan, who was able to finish from close range.

The hosts almost completed a remarkable turnaround moments later, but Spertsyan missed a clear opportunity to score the winning goal before the final whistle.

The result was a disappointing one for Al Ahli, who had been the stronger team for much of the match and were expected to secure a comfortable victory. Their failure to take their chances allowed Pakhtakor to leave Jeddah with a point despite spending long periods under pressure.

The draw also comes at a difficult moment for Al Ahli, with supporters increasingly concerned by the team’s inconsistent results.

Their next fixture is a meeting with South African side Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, when the two teams will contest the Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup.

Al Ahli and Pakhtakor are now joint-fifth in the western section of the AFC Champions League Elite standings, with one point each. They are level with Saudi club Al-Ittihad and Qatar’s Al-Shamal.