Dubai: Brazilian striker Grafite netted midway through the second half to cancel out a superb first half opener from Nadir Belhadj as Emirati side Al Ahli and former champions Al Sadd from Qatar shared a 1-1 draw in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday. Belhadj’s eye-catching 24th minute strike had given 2011 winners Al Sadd the lead at Rashid Stadium as the visitors looked to build on last month’s 3-1 home win over Iran’s Sepahan. But Al Ahli picked up their first point in Group D as Grafite headed home eight minutes after the hour mark, with the home side unlucky not to claim all three points after having two goals ruled out either side of the Brazilian’s equaliser. With Al Sadd enjoying the best of the early chances, the visitors took the lead after 24 minutes as Belhadj was allowed time and space 25 yards from the Al Ahli goal and the midfielder unleashed an inch-perfect low strike which crept in between goalkeeper Saif Abdulla and the foot of the post. Al Ahli, though, should have been level seven minutes before half-time, but after a flowing team move worked the ball to Ciel in space on the far side of the penalty area, the striker blazed wide from a promising position. Ciel did have the ball in the net two minutes later, but after sending a glancing header from Hugo Viana’s free-kick past goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb, the referees whistle sounded to end the celebrations after the match official had spotted pushing as the ball was swung into the area. And Al Sadd almost made the home side pay just over a minute before half-time, but Raul was unable to direct Rodrigo Tabata’s near post cross on target. The visitors remained in control of the contest at the start of the second half, but the second goal continued to prove elusive for Al Sadd as Raul wastefully volleyed wide from inside the penalty area six minutes after the hour mark. And the miss proved crucial as just two minutes later Al Ahli drew level as a left wing cross from Ismail Al Hammadi was met with a downward header from Grafite from just outside the six yard area with goalkeeper Al Sheeb unable to react. Al Ahli then thought they had completed the turnaround with 10 minutes remaining, but the home side were again denied by the referees whistle after substitute Ahmed Khalil had headed home from a corner. Al Sadd, though, still had their chance to snatch all three points as only the fingertips of Al Ahli goalkeeper Abdulla helped a rising strike from Abdelkarim Hassan over the crossbar in the first minute of stoppage time.