Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan ended his rare goal drought in the UAE top-flight on Thursday night when he headed in the winner to steer Al Ain to the final of the President’s Cup.
Al Nasr’s 25-year wait for a silverware is set to continue as Al Ain beat the Dubai club 2-1 to reach their first President’s Cup final in five years.
Al Ain, who won the last of their five President’s Cup titles in 2008/09, led until the 83rd minute of the game, thanks to an own goal by Rashed Malallah.
And three minutes after Brett Holman equalised for Nasr, Asamoah Gyan came to the fore, heading in the winner to take his team into the final.
Al Ain will now meet defending champions Al Ahli for the title in May, with the match expected to add another chapter to their bitter rivalry.
Al Ahli defeated Al Dhafra in the other semi-final, 2-1.
Ahli had knocked them out at the semi-final stage last year and look set to take their Arabian Gulf League title this season.
The parity, however, lasted only three minutes as Gyan rose high over the Nasr defence to head in Ahmed Abdullah’s cross.