Hosts Buriram United held J-League champions Vissel Kobe to a goalless draw in their opening AFC Champions League Elite league stage clash at home on Tuesday night.
The Thai national striker Supachai Chaided went closest to putting the Thai champions in front three minutes before the break, while home defender Curtis Good cleared Daiji Sasaki's second-half effort off the line in a game of limited clear-cut opportunities.
The result earned both teams a point in the first game of the 12-team league phase of the continental championship, in which both clubs will play eight matches to qualify for the knockout stages.
Buriram United coach Osmar Loss Vieira said after the match: "Congratulations to our goalkeeper Neil Etheridge for receiving the best player award -- he was great tonight.
"I am also happy that our team could secure an important point.
"We knew it would be a difficult match, but our players played to the plan and got the result that we were expecting. Actually, we wanted to win this game, but we are content with the draw as well.
"Vissel Kobe played very well. They have some good players and marked our players well. This will help our team improve their skills."
Also on the second day of action in Asia's top club competition, debutants Gwangju FC scored after just 90 seconds on the way to a 7-3 home hammering of last year's runners-up Yokohama F-Marinos.
On a good night for Chinese teams, Shandong Taishan won 3-1 at home to Central Coast Mariners of Australia while Shanghai Shenhua thrashed South Korea's Pohang Steelers 4-1.
The Asian Champions League Elite begins with two leagues containing 12 teams each and split between East and West Zones.
The competition concludes in May next year.