Ahmed Ajab's second-half strike was enough to extend Al Qadisiya's unbeaten run, taking their points tally to seven while condemning Al Gharafa to their first defeat in three games of continental action.

Although there was only one goal in it the hosts could have opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute when Mesaed Nada's free-kick was superbly kept out by Al Gharafa goalkeeper Abdulaziz Ali.

But Al Gharafa responded six minutes later when Moroccan midfielder Othman Al Assas sent a speculative effort sailing over the bar.

The game continued to flow end to end, as Al Qadisiya came back through midfielder Mladen Jovancic who forced Ali into another good save midway through the first half, while for Al Gharafa Ahmed Ali's cross-shot was turned away by home stopper Nawaf Al Khaldi.

Al Qadisiya kept up the pressure on their guests as the second half got under way, and should have gone in front four minutes before the hour mark but Hussain Fadel failed to find the target.

But just six minutes later the breakthrough finally came as Mesaed Nada's tempting cross from the left wing found Ajab in the area, and the Kuwaiti forward sent a powerful header past Abdulaziz Ali from close range.

Once ahead the home side continued to keep the pressure on in search of a second goal, and they nearly got it 12 minutes from time when Bader Al Mutawa beat the Al Gharafa offside trap but was denied again by Ali.

Mladen Jovancic then went even closer as he fired a shot onto the crossbar following a corner.

Then Al Gharafa came within inches of an equaliser when Clemerson de Araujo struck the right post from the edge of the area with seven minutes to go.

That was as close as they got, however, and Al Qadisiya hung on for the narrow win.