Algerian side JS Saoura were held to a 1-1 draw at home to eight-time Africa champions Al Ahly in a CAF Champions League Group D match staged at the Stade du 20 Aout 1955 in Algeria on Friday.
The hosts were the first to strike their share in the 59th minute before the Red Devils equalized later in the second half.
Saoura had a great chance to get the opener in as early as the third minute as Ziri Hammar sent a threatening ball into the box, which fell to Mohammed Hammia, whose shot was cleared in the nick of time by Yasser Ibrahim.
Al Ahly had an opportunity to break the deadlock after the half-hour mark, when Fateh Talah was dispossessed in an advanced position and Ramadan Sobhi was sent away on a counter-attack – five versus two – but the winger selfishly opted to go for glory, with his shot taking a deflection, allowing Abderraouf Nateche to make a comfortable save.
There was little to separate the two sides in the first-half, with chances coming few and far between.
The second half was a scrappy affair as Saoura dominated possession but struggled to trouble El Shenawy in the Red Eagles goal.
With the Al Ahly defense holding steady, the home side were forced to try and find an opening from long range, with Benhalima, Kanote, Hammia and Ibrahim Bakakchi sending efforts wide off the mark.
Sid Yahia Cherif finally opened the score as he rose to send a rasping header past Mohamed El Shenawy to make it 1-0 to Saoura, much to the delight of the home crowd. From this point, Al Ahly knew that pressure was mounting on them and they could not afford to drop all the points.
Walid Soliman hit an upright with a 66th-minute free-kick as Al Ahly sensed a way back into this game before Sulaya hit the post with Nateche well beaten.
Saliman continued to look lively but saw his goalbound shot blocked at the 71st minute. However, the goal for the visitors were looking for soon arrived.
Karim Nedved rose to the occasion at the 85th minute to equalize when he rose to head home a Mohamed Hani cross from close range as Ahly, who reached the Champions League final the past two years but lost on both occasions, maintained a fine start to the group stage.
Fateh Talah may have won the match for Saoura in the dying minutes, but he was denied by Shenawy from close range ahead of the final whistle to conclude another entertaining Group D match.
The teams:
JS Saoura Starting XI: Abderraouf Nateche (GK), Naceredine Koualed, Ibrahim Bakakchi, El Hadji Konate, Fateh Talah, Massala Merbah Farhi Benhalima, Adel Bouchiba, Ziri Hammar, Mohamed Amine Hammia, Sid Yahia Cherif
Al Ahly Starting XI: Mohamed El Shenawy (GK), Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Ayman Ashraf, Ali Maaloul, Amr El Sulaya, Karim Nedved, Ramadan Sobhi, Hussein El Shahat, Islam Mohared, Walid Soliman
