Bunyodkor midfielder Zabikhillo Urinboev and Al Nassr goalkeeper Abdullah Al Enezi both challenged for the ball at a corner and the coming together saw the ball ricochet into the net on 13 minutes.

But Al Nassr, who were on top for most of the tie although without creating many clear-cut chances, restored parity on the 51stminute through Uruguayan midfielder Fabian Estoyanoff to leave the two sides tied for second place in Group A after early pacesetters Persepolis of Iran defeated Qatari champions Lekhwiya 3-0 in the day’s early kick-off. The visitors had stunned the home crowd just shy of the quarter hour mark as Al Nassr custodian Al Enezi struggled to deal with Sardor Rashidov’s inswinging corner and, under pressure from Urinboev and Tunisian midfielder Chaker Zouaghi, the ball found its way into the back of the net.

Stung by the setback, Al Nassr looked for a quick reply and both Estoyanoff and Adrian Mierezejewski forced Bunyodkor goalkeeper Akbar Turaev into diving saves but for all their first half control, the hosts went into the break a goal down.

Al Nassr came out strongly in the second half, though, and after six minutes of the second period were level through Estoyanoff.

The midfielder combined beautifully with Polish playmaker Mierezejewski, with the latter back-heeling a sumptuous pass through on goal and the Uruguayan forced the ball across Turaev and into the bottom left-hand corner.

Armando Wila flashed a shot narrowly wide on 66 minutes as Al Nassr pressed for the goal that would put them in the lead for the first time, and coach Jorge Da Silva brought on Saudi Arabia striker Mohammed Al Sahlawi, scorer of three goals in the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015, to sharpen his attack.

But it was Al Nassr defender Khalid Al Ghamdi who was next to go close, though, as Turaev strong-armed away his shot that threatened to creep in at his near post.

Both sides continued to look for a winner but they were unable to find a breakthrough before the referee’s final whistle.