A new year but the same old Al Ain as the Boss recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Al Wasl while Al Nasr moved into a contender territory with a resounding 5-1 win over Dubai Club.

As usual, goal-getter Asamoah Gyan was the catalyst for the win while Mohammad Salem and Alex Brosque joined the Ghanaian on the scoresheet in the win.

The Ghana international needed only 13 minutes to make his presence felt as he rose to head in Ahmad Al Shamisi’s cross at the far post, bringing his season tally to a remarkable 16 goals at the half way stage of the calendar.

While Al Ain’s opener had a certain inevitability about it, the second came from the surprising head of Salem whose nod in from an Omar Abdulrahman corner took a wicked deflection off Al Wasl striker Andre Senghor before making its way past the rooted Rashid Ali.

Salem could have had a second early in the second half but his header was well saved before Brosque put the game beyond doubt in the 72nd minute, finishing smartly from a fine team move.

While Al Ain continue to hunt down Al Ahli at the top of the table, Al Nasr moved into third place and closer to the top with their win over struggling Dubai Club.

In a rampant performance Saoud Saeed got the home side off to the perfect start with a drive from the edge of the area before Dubai surprisingly equalized through Jehad Al Hussain’s sliding finish.

From there, Al Nasr never slipped up. Ibrahima Toure bagged his first, heading in Saeed’s cross before half time. Toure grabbed his second tapping in Eder Luis’s perfect set up to make it 3-1 before Habib Fardan and Brett Holman rounded off the win.

RESULTS

Thursday

Bani Yas 1-1 Al Shabab

Emirates 1-1 Ajman

Sharjah 1-1 Al Jazira

Friday

Al Ahli 3-1 Al Dhafra

Al Wahda 2-0 Al Shaab

Al Nasr 5-1 Dubai

Al Ain 3-0 A l Wasl