AFC - Iranian champions Sepahan and Saudi league runners-up Al Ahli squandered a host of opportunities on Wednesday as the two sides played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their AFC quarter-final clash at the Foolad Shahr Stadium.

Sepahan were unlucky not to take the lead when Mohammad Reza Khalatbari rocked the crossbar early on.

At the other end, Al Ahli captain Taisir Al Jassim had his team’s best chance just before the hour when he made a clear run into the box only to be denied by Reza Mohammadi’s superb stop.

Despite a number of chances on both side, neither team was able to break the stalemate and they will meet again in Jeddah in a fortnight’s time for the second leg with the tie still very much in the balance.

Wednesday’s game was the third AFC Champions League meeting this year between the two teams, who also met during the group stage with Sepahan winning 2-1 in Esfahan in May after their match in Jeddah in March had ended in a 1-1 draw.

Sepahan had the better of the chances in the first half with Khalatbari going closest to breaking the deadlock in the 12th minute with a swerving drive from 25 metres which flew past Al Ahli goalkeeper Abdullah Al Muaiouf but came back off the crossbar.

Al Muiaouf was the busier of the goalkeepers in the opening half as he kept out an angled shot by Radomir Dalovic and a half volley by Khalatbari.

At the other end, Sepahan goalkeeper Mohammadi remained alert to punch away a dangerous cross from the right by Abdulrahim Jezawi as Amad Al Hosni looked to get on the end of it.

As half-time approached Mahdi Jafarpour’s dangerous cross from the right was just too high for an unmarked Moharram Navidkia in the centre.

Jezawi had the first real chance of the second half for Al Ahli as his low left-footed drive from 25 metres went narrowly wide of Mohammadi’s left upright in the 51st minute.

Albanian midfielder Ervin Bulku then fashioned an excellent opening for the home side in the 57th minute as he centred the ball from the right flank towards the six-yard box where Khalatbari and Dalovic just failed to make the crucial contact.

Just a minute later, Jassim made a sudden burst of acceleration into the Sepahan box and got away a shot that was superbly stopped by Mohammadi.

The Al Ahli captain had another great opening in the 79th minute when the ball was slipped through to him on the left of the Sepahan box with only Mohammadi to beat but he hurried his shot and put it wide of the far post.

As the game went into stoppage time, Jairo Palomino’s free-kick forced a good stop from Mohammadi.

Al Hosni then found himself in space in the Sepahan box but Farshad Talabi reacted quickly to block the Omani’s attempted shot which kept the game scoreless.