Doha, November 02 (QNA) - Al Sadd and Al Ahli Saudi FC settled for a goalless stalemate in their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/2027 match on Monday. 

The result moved the Saudi Arabian side to eight points after four matches, and Al Sadd earned just their second, the AFC website reported. 

After plenty of back-and-forth by both sides but with chances at a premium, Al Ahli's Artem Bondarenko attempted to resolve the situation in the 14th minute with an ambitious effort from 18 yards that sailed over.

Al Sadd striker Giovani's speed down the left, meanwhile, posed problems for the defence but the Qatari side's attacks fizzled out before they could trouble Edouard Mendy.

Eduard Spertsyan's effort from range in the 27th minute sparked the match into life but the Al Ahli midfielder's shot swerved just over the bar while Claudinho's attempt at the opposing end moments later came closer to an opening goal, with Mendy forced to tip the striker's blistering strike over. 

Meshaal Barsham replicated his counterpart's actions in the 39th minute to deny Roger Ibanez's close-range header and then pulled off a superb finger-tip save two minutes later, pushing Galeno's inswinger against the right post.

The pace picked up in the second half as the visitors' Ivan Toney missed from close range and then dragged his shot across the face of goal while Mendy prevented an Al Sadd strike by parrying Roberto Firmino's effort from just outside the box. 

The two-time champions would have taken the lead in the 66th minute if not for a timely clearance by defender Paulo Otavia, who blocked Spertsyan's goal-bound shot on the line with Barsham slightly off-position.

The Al Sadd custodian was in the right place and time, however, when he launched himself to the left to deny substitute Matheus Gonçalves' curling shot in the 84th minute, the keeper then having an easier time collecting Ibrahima Diaby's header four minutes later before making a final save from Gonçalves in injury time. (QNA)