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Gyan and Senghor at the double as Al Ain draw 2-2 with Bani Yas

Bani Yas came back from a two-goal deficit to take a point away from the Tahnoun bin Mohamed Stadium, drawing 2-2 with Etisalat Pro League Champions Al Ain in Round 24 on Sunday night. A brace from Asamoah Gyan gave the hosts a 2-0 lead but an Andre Senghor double salvaged a draw for the visitors, whose progression to the final of the Gulf Clubs Championship 28 lead to the rescheduling of this fixture after all other teams played their Round 24 games on Thursday. Al Ain remain in their confirmed position at the top of the table on 59, whilst Bani Yas move back up into 3rd place with 44 points, overtaking Al Jazira.

Al Ain began brightly, making inroads in the box through the powerful front pairing of Asamoah Gyan and Jires Kembo-Ekoko, but it was the visitors who conjured up the most promising opportunity in the early stages. Diminutive Bani Yas midfielder Haboush Saleh struck a good right-footed effort in the 15th minute, which curled away from the reaches of Al Ain goalkeeper Abdulla Sultan and crashed into the far post before bouncing back off the woodwork and away from danger. The strike rattled more than just the frame of the goal, as Al Ain sprang into action and, a matter of minutes after the scare, managed to get themselves in front. The home side were awarded a penalty as Fawaz Awana was adjudged to have brought down Jires Kembo-Ekoko unlawfully in the area, and top scorer Asamoah Gyan coolly converted from the spot in the 23rd minute to register his 29th League goal of the season. Bani Yas did their best to hit back as Andre Senghor squandered two good chances to level in quick succession just after the half hour mark, but Al Ain were also wasteful in front of goal as they failed to make the most of a free kick in a dangerous area on the stroke of half time, leaving the score at 1-0 going into the break.

Bani Yas came out of the blocks with more purpose at the start of the second half, with Haboush Saleh doing well in facilitating a give-and-go on the edge of the area before crossing for Ibrahim Saeed on the left, but the Sky Blues midfielder could not find the target with his effort. Three minutes later Saleh Hamad launched a piledriver of a shot from distance, but it was at a good height for Al Ain goalkeeper Abdulla Sultan to beat the ball away. Al Ain soon demonstrated exactly why they are Champions of the Etisalat Pro League for a second season running as Asamoah Gyan doubled their lead. The Ghanaian forward held his run well before striding onto a long ball and hitting a sublime half-volleyed finish from 20 yards over the head of Bani Yas goalkeeper Mohsin Al Hashmi in the 65th minute; Gyan’s 30th goal of the campaign. The visitors were not to give up though, as they got themselves back in the game at the 74th minute mark. Saleh Hamad showed good strength to get round Al Ain’s defense and set up a simple tap-in for the Senegalese striker Andre Senghor to convert, making it 2-1. Bani Yas almost found an equaliser five minutes later as Nick Carle whipped in a free kick and Yousef Jaber came close to burying it in the back of the net. But Bani Yas’ persistence paid off as four minutes from time they got the leveler they were looking for, with Senghor rising to head in Amer Abdulrahman’s floated cross to bag his brace and make it 2-2 in the 86th minute and earning caretaker coach Salem Ali a share of the spoils.