AL AIN // There were several reasons for Zlatko Dalic, the Al Ain coach, to rejoice after his team’s 3-0 win against Fujairah on Saturday.
First, they avenged their shock 1-0 away defeat to Fujairah nine days ago and, second, Al Ain moved to the summit of the Arabian Gulf League ahead of their top-of-the-table meeting with Al Jazira on March 8.
Most important for the Croatian, though, was the status of his two biggest stars.
Playmaker Omar Abdulrahman returned to action for the first time in four weeks, while top scorer Asamoah Gyan scored for the first time in three games.
Abdulrahman came on as a second-half substitute for Jires Kembo-Ekoko in what was the midfielder’s first work since he was injured in the 2-1 win over Al Shabab at the start of February.
“It was important to win the three points and get this game out of the way as we have a flight to catch tomorrow evening,” said Dalic, whose team flies out for their second match in the Asian Champions League (ACL) against Naft Tehran on Tuesday.
"We can take a lot of positives forward from this game. It was our first win in three games after losing to Fujairah and the draw against Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia in the ACL.
“We didn’t concede a goal in the last two matches, and with this result we go on top of the league table. It was good to see Gyan scoring again and Omar back in action.”
Dalic, though, may be without the services of winger Kembo-Ekoko and left-back Mohammed Fayez, who left with injuries.
“They look doubtful for the next game,” Dalic said.
Gyan scored twice, the first from a penalty, while an own goal from Abdulaziz Ismail in between left Al Ain victorious at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
Fujairah had a couple of opportunities to take the lead but Al Ain went ahead from a spot kick on the stroke of half time.
Gyan earned the spot kick and converted it with ease after the Fujairah keeper Ayyoub Al Marzouqi hauled down the Ghanaian forward when he ran on to a long ball from Kembo-Ekoko.
“Had we scored early, the game would have been different,” said Ivan Hasek, the Fujairah coach.
“We cannot afford to miss even half chances when we play teams like Al Ain. That’s what happened tonight. We started well and created a couple of scoring opportunities, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.”
On 70 minutes, Ismail turned a corner kick from Miroslav Stoch into his own goal, and Gyan made sure of the three points when he tapped in a cross from Mohammed Ahmed.
apassela@thenational.ae
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