Shanghai Shenhua saw their challenge for a place in the last 16 of the Asian Champions League suffer an unexpected setback when they needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Hernan Barcos to salvage a point against lowly Singapore Armed Forces.

However, SAF were indebted to Shahril Jantan for their first point of this year's continental campaign as the goalkeeper produced a string of fine saves to keep the Chinese side at bay until the dying moments.

Shahril made his first stop with 14 minutes gone at Jalan Besar Stadium when he denied Belarussian winger Viachaslav Hleb before the hosts took a shock lead quarter of an hour later.

Aleksandar Duric flicked on a throw-in into the path of Park Tae-won but his progress was halted by Yao Lijun.

But the ball broke straight to an unmarked Ahmad Lariff following the defender's tackle and his drive from the edge of the box flew past keeper Qiu Shengjiong.

Shahril again proved equal to Hleb's effort at his near post after 34 minutes before Barcos saw the SAF keeper push his effort against the bar five minutes after the break. Chen Tao followed up with a diving header that found the back of the net but was incorrectly ruled out for offside.

Shahril then deflected Mark Milligan's shot against the post before Shanghai finally made the breakthrough in time added on when Barcos turned defender Hafiz Osman and fired an unstoppable strike past the SAF keeper.