Falcons started aggressively, peppering Madura’s goal with shot after shot as they seized control of the match.

Madura goalkeeper Dida was kept on his toes, starting with a Vlademir Everton volley in the eighth minute before diving low to stop Everton’s long range strike and then having to claw out a looping header from Otgonbaatar Enkh-Orgil.

Despite their dominance, Falcons nearly went behind in the 27th minute when goalkeeper Tsenguun Khandaa’s decision to collect the ball outside his box was misplaced as Ibrahim Sanjaya got there ahead of him but Maxuel Cassio failed to connect with his header with the goalmouth gaping.

Falcons thought they had found the breakthrough in the first minute of first half added time when Taiyo Toyoda squeezed in a shot at the near post from a Matheus Silva knock down after a corner kick but the goal was overruled for offside on Myagmar Batkhishig who was also challenging for the ball.

The home side maintained the same intensity in the second half but Madura defended better to provide more protection to Dida than they did in the opening half.

Falcons did create one final good opportunity in the 82nd minute when Enkh-Orgil’s free-kick found Thiago Tomais but the centre-back’s downward header was caught by the alert Dida as both sides settled for a draw.

Falcons will next meet Cambodia’s Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC on Wednesday in the three-team group.