Both teams found the woodwork but no goals as a raucous crowd of 5,781 had to be content with a point apiece in this top of the table clash.

Makhete Diop almost broke the crossbar in the first half while substitute Tareq Ahmed volleyed against the foot of the post and Majed Nasser tipped Sebastian Tagliabue’s fierce strike onto the bar in the second period as two of the Arabian Gulf League’s leading scorers cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw.

It was the first time Wahda – AGL leading scorers with 14 – had been held scoreless all season, with Shabab Al Ahli playing out their second straight goalless draw.

Friday night’s deadlock was almost broken in the 11th minute when Diop danced his way around the Wahda defence and unleashed a thunderous effort that cannoned back of Mohamed Al Shamsi’s bar.

Diop fired over from his next attempt while Sebastian Tagliabue did likewise with Wahda’s first real sight of goal.

The best chance fell to veteran Tagliabue 10 minutes before the break when he was released by a counter-attacking Mourad Batna, but he was always being pushed wide when he dragged his shot just past Majed Nasser’s post.

Batna has been brilliant for the Clarets this term and he got free twice down the right, his first delivery was behind his teammates while his second was missed by Nasser, but no-one in a white shirt could capitalise.

The game opened up in the second half as Wahda introduced Hungary international Balazs Dzsudzsak at the break, and he was the catalyst as the Clarets took charge of proceedings.

It seemed certain they would open the scoring when usually lethal Argentine Tagliabue saw Batna’s deflected strike drop at his feet, but he somehow ballooned over with the goal gaping from six yards.

Ahmed then fired a sweet left foot volley that beat everyone and hit the post following Dzsudzsak’s corner before the hosts could have scored second later when Al Shamsi’s horrible error gifted Shabab Al Ahli possession, but Diop’s tame chip landed safely in Al Shamsi’s grateful grasp.

Moussa Sow then saw a strike blocked by Mohamed Al Dhaheri then fired wide when given a clear sight of goal. Tagliabue would have scored but Nasser tipped his fizzed effort onto the bar.

So no goals, and little satisfaction for either side, who stay with among the leaders but are likely to lose ground presuming Al Ain reclaim top spot against rock bottom Sharjah today.