Quique Sanchez Flores made a winning return to the Arabian Gulf League this evening after Al Ain brushed aside Dubai Club 5-2 at the Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium.
Ismael Ahmed handed Al Ain a half-time lead only for Rami Yaslam to equalise for Dubai during the early stages of the second period. Asamoah Gyan scored two in quick succession to give The Boss some breathing space before Dramane Traore gave the visitors a renewed life line.
However, Australian forward Alex Brosque fired in from the first move after the restart to restore Al Ain’s two-goal cushion before Gyan completed his hat-trick to ensure three points for the league champions.
Quique was back in the dugout for an Arabian Gulf League fixture for the first time since his shock departure from Al Ahli at the end of last season. The Spaniard replaced Jorge Fossati in the Al Ain dugout last month after the Uruguayan’s short-lived tenure came to an abrupt end.
The occasion should belong to Quique, but dynamic playmaker Omar Abdulrahman put in yet another sublime display to steal the headlines from his manager and hat-trick scoring teammate Gyan.
The 22-year-old offered the latest demonstration of why he is one of the hottest properties in Asian football with three exquisite assists in an all-round virtuoso performance.
He was a menace every time Al Ain pressed forward and his array of passing and trickery caused constant problems to the Dubai back-line. If Arsenal and Manchester City – two clubs to have expressed real interest in the past – were watching this match then don’t be surprised if new bids are forthcoming.
Defender Ahmed broke the deadlock just shy of the 20 minute mark from a corner and his goal proved the difference at the half-time interval.
Al Ain were then expected to canter to victory, but Dubai had other plans. Minutes into the second-half, Yaslam pounced on a Jehad Al Hussein through-pass to lash a first-time shot into the bottom corner beyond the outstretched Dawoud Sulaiman.
Parity lasted just four minutes as Gyan scored his first of the game; latching onto a clipped Abdulrahman ball and firing with venom past Dubai stopper Jamal Abdallah.
Brazilian winger Michel Bastos set up Gyan for his second three minutes later with a low cross of such sniper-like precision that all the Ghanaian had to do was tap in.
Credit to Dubai, who kept up the fight and reduced the deficit when Traore picked up a Gilles Yapi Yapo pass to fire a stunning strike past Dawoud.
But once again, Dubai’s attempts to claw their way back into the game only invigorated Al Ain as The Boss scored directly from the kick-off.
Abdulrahman was the orchestrator as his first-time threaded pass found Brosque, who calmly slotted his shot low beyond Abdallah.
Al Ain weren’t finished there as Abdulrahman produced arguably the assist of the match. Spotting Gyan’s diagonal run across the box, Abdulrahman split the left-back and central defender with a perfectly-weighted fizzing pass. Gyan beat his marker for pace and fired home first-time to complete the rout.
That is now seven goals in just four games for Gyan, who last season broke the UAE football goal-scoring record with 31 domestic strikes.
It was a much-needed win for Al Ain after losing two of their opening three fixtures. Quique’s side remain six points behind his former club Al Ahli – now coached by ex-Al Ain boss Cosmin Olaroiu – after they edged Al Shaab thanks to a cheeky Grafite back-heel goal.
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