Given their opening two results, Al Shorta and Pakhtakor adopted a cautious approach to the game as they looked to get their first win in the league stage.

It was the visitors who would sound the first warning with the experienced Dragan Ceran escaping his marker during a corner kick but could not get the right contact with his header before Umar Adkhamzoda smashed a shot wide after Dostonbek Khamdamov’s shot had been blocked by Salomon Banga.

Al Shorta would end the first half in the ascendancy as they pushed higher up the pitch, and  saw their first big opening created just before the break when Boubacar Moumouni found Mohanad Ali on the edge of the box, with the Iraqi forward only inches away from finding the target.

The home side began the second half like how they ended the first with Ali twice given the chance to put his side ahead but saw his first effort saved by the quick feet of goalkeeper Vladimir Nazarov before blasting a shot over the bar from just inside the box.

Mahmoud Al Mawas was next to test Nazarov, a fierce drive from outside the box in the 52nd minute that had the Pakhtakor custodian diving to his left to push the ball out.

Pakhtakor head coach Kamoliddin Tadjiev looked to change the flow of the game back into his side’s favour by introducing Doniyor Abdumannopov and Ulugbek Khoshimov for the final 10 minutes of the match.

However, neither side was able to carve out any further opportunities as they settled for a share of the spoils.

Al Shorta next face Al Ahli Saudi FC of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on November 4 while Pakhtakor will host Qatar’s Al Rayyan SC a day later in Tashkent.