Marjan Jugovic gave the Syrian visitors the lead inside two minutes at Guzor Central Stadium after a defensive mix-up to leave Shurtan, already struggling in their domestic league in Uzbekistan, facing a setback to their hopes of qualifying from Group B.

But captain Igor Taran equalised shortly before half-time to rescue a draw and leave the two sides level in second place on four points, five behind leaders Al Qadsia.

Shurtan went into the game having taken just one point from five matches at domestic level and made an inconsistent start to their group in the continental competition, a 4-0 defeat to the Kuwaitis followed by a 7-2 rout of Yemen’s Al Saqr.

As expected, they made a similarly attacking start against Al Ittihad, with Taran’s effort inside the first minute blocked by the visiting defence.

But Al Ittihad responded in kind and took the lead when a mix-up between keeper Mikheil Alavidze and defender Timur Sultanov presented Jugovic with the easiest of tasks to roll the ball into an empty net.

Shurtan pressed forward looking for an immediate response, but a string of corners came to nothing.

They finally threatened from a corner kick in the 26th minute as Al Ittihad enjoyed a triple reprieve.

First Jafar Irismetov and then Uros Milosavljevic saw shots blocked before Jaroslav Krushelnitsky’s effort was scrambled away by keeper Khaled Othman as the home players claimed in vain that the ball had crossed the line.

A free-kick with half-time approaching did bring about an overdue equaliser, though, as Taran got ahead of the Al Ittihad defence to steer the ball past Othman.

Gess was not settling for that score line, and introduced an additional striker in Shakhboz Erkinov at the interval in place of midfielder Milosavlevic.

But they were unable to threaten a winner, meaning the return fixture on April 26 now looks likely to determine which of these sides joins Al Qadsia in the knockout stages.