Gyan Grabs First Title

Asamoah Gyan

Asamoah Gyan clinched his first title in his professional football career, as his club, Al Ain, won her 10th UAE Pro League championship.

A brilliant brace by Saudi Arabian star Yasser Al Qahtani helped Al Ain outclass the President's Cup winners and defending League champions Al Jazira 2-0 to clinch the 2011-12 UAE Pro League football title with three games in hand.

Al Qahtani struck in the 6th and 20 minutes of the first half to help Al Ain extend their lead at the top by 10 points over second-placed Al Shabab. Al Ain with 46 points can now afford to lose their next three games and will still be crowned UAE League champions for a record 10th time.

The Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Stadium here in Al Ain was packed and overflowing more than 90 minutes before the 9pm start of the game and huge TV screens were set up outside to help hundreds of Al Ain fans watch from outside.

The Asamoah Gyan-Yasser Al Qahtani partnership proved vital in Al Ain's win with Al Jazira looking a bit jaded after a hectic week of football when they played in the AFC Champions League as well as won the President's Cup on Monday. Al Qahtani, one of the most feared strikers in the region, snapped up a loose ball following a Gyan attack and then with a subtle chip found the net to give Al Ain the lead in the 6th minute.

Then in the 20th minute, a pile-driver by Gyan was deflected by Al Jazira goalkeeper Ali Kashief but the ball went straight to Al Qahtani who managed to put it into the net, the ball going in off the hapless Jazira custodian's body. With a partisan crowd of over 15,000 cheering the Purple Brigade, the hosts did well to keep the dangerous Brazilian pair of Ricardo Oliviera and Bare at bay and even though their coach Caio Junior made a double change at the break Al Ain looked the more solid.