Dubai An Asamoah Gyan brace either side of goals from Mohammad Khalatbari and Juan Manuel Olivera, saved the point for league leaders Al Ain away to Al Wasl in a 2-2 draw at Zabeel Stadium on Saturday night.
Gyan was at the back post on 36 minutes to tap home an easy Mirel Radoi right corner, which was first headed onto the left upright by Yassir Al Qahtani.
Ignaccio Scocco was also on hand to convert, but Gyan outreached him for the scrambled opener, in an effort that involved all four of Al Ain’s foreign contingent.
Al Wasl missed a sitter on 60 minutes when Mariano Donda’s cross from the left flank was headed fractionally wide of the right post by Eisa Ali.
A slowing Yassir Al Qahtani was then substituted for Mohammad Abdulrahman on 63 minutes by Al Ain.
This attacking change for the visitors gave Al Wasl the confidence to get back in the game. First the home side equalized via a Khalatbari header at the back post from a Mariano Donda left cross on 65 minutes.
Then, just a minute later Tariq Hassan’s long ball from deep in midfield found Olivera, who arched a lobbing header over the fingertips of Dawoud Sulaiman.
Gyan tried to walk in an equaliser on 80 minutes from the left but a knock right to Scocco went to waste as the Argentine turned full circle and shot high right over the stanchion.
On 83 minutes Gyan was brought down by Hassan inside the box to hand Al Ain the missed leveler anyway. The Ghanaian struck the spot kick to the left to make it 2-2.
