Gyan makes scoring return in Al Ain win

Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan made a scoring return to first team action as Al Ain beat Al Ittihad Kalba 3-1 to edge closer to winning their second straight UAE Pro League title.

The 27-year-old scored in injury time after coming on in the 54th minute to replace Yousef Ahmad.

Gyan has missed the last three games for Al Ain since returning from international duty injured with a thigh strain.

The ex-Sunderland hitman helped Ghana to a comprehensive 4-0 win over Sudan in last month’s 2014 World Cup qualifiers where he scored and later on aggravated the injury he initially sustained in the lead up to the vital win over the Nile Crocodiles.

He had since not been able to play active football as he remained on the sidelines in order to recover fully from the injury.

Gyan sat out the UAE champions’ midweek Asian Champions League defeat to Al Rayann despite traveling with the side to Qatar as he was deemed not fit enough to even make the team for the match.

He was again considered not match fit to start Sunday’s game at Al Ittihad Kalba but proved his fitness by coming through 36 minutes unscathed and also scoring.

The Ghana international has now scored 25 goals in 18 games this season and now leads the race to win a second consecutive Golden Shoe award in the UAE top flight with two goals.

Brazilian Grafite is Gyan’s closest rival with 23 goals despite profiting from the Ghana striker’s absence due to injury and the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

Meanwhile, Al Ain are now just a win away from securing their second straight UAE top flight crown.

Coach Cosmin Olariou’s side will be confirmed as UAE champions again if they beat Dubai in their next top flight game with three games to spare.

Al Ain have a healthy 11-point lead at the summit of the UAE Pro League and that lead will be rendered unassailable if they beat Dubai next weekend.