Both sides made a cautious start as Mikael Doka shot wide for visitors Central Coast six minutes in before Bekzhan Sagynbaev’s header sailed high at the opposite end a couple of minutes later, in what was the only chances of note of the opening quarter-hour.

 

Abdysh-Ata began making inroads as the half progressed with their holding midfielder Teymur Charyyev trying his luck from distance in the 19th and 23rd minutes without troubling Australian goalkeeper Daniel Vukovic.

On the defensive for most of the first period, Central Coast fashioned a chance out of nothing when Vukovic’s hopeful long ball fell for Ryan Edmondson with space inside the box in the 37th minute, but the English striker’s shot was tame and easy to collect for Marsel Islamkulov.

 

Islam Akhmedov’s side brought a dominant yet goalless first half to a close with an Ernist Batyrkanov header from a Farkhat Musabekov cross which was guided straight into the grateful hands of Vukovic

The game restarted with Batyrkanov getting the first yellow card of the contest before Edmondson’s header from a free-kick sailed wide of the goal in the 54th minute.

 

The home side brought on Suleyman Muhadov and Atai Dzhumashev just before the hour mark in the hope of turning their dominance into a breakthrough.

 

Dzhumashev, in particular, proved lively in attack and registered Abdysh-Ata’s next shot on target with a strike from the edge of the box in the 66th minute.

The 25-year-old winger was at the end of another chance eight minutes later, but saw his acrobatic effort sail high and wide of the Central Coast goal.

 

Storm Roux then blocked Khristiyan Brauzman’s header from a corner in the 77th minute before having to clear away with Muhadov ready to pounce on the rebound. However, it was at the other end that the opening goal came.

Vukovic tipped over Argen Zhumataev’s strike from the edge of the box in the 85th minute but there was nothing he could do to stop Uzdenov’s stunning volley in the 93rd minute which levelled the tie.

 

Abdysh-Ata and Central Coast, both looking to become the first club from their country to feature in an AFC Cup final, will meet again in the second leg to be played at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford next Wednesday.