Gao scored his first goal of the season on 15 May 2012 in a 2-1 win against Buriram United in the 2012 AFC Champions League, ending a goal drought that stretched 1403 minutes. On 20 May 2012, he scored his first league goal of the season in a 1-0 win against Qingdao Jonoon which ended a run of 936 minutes without a goal in the league. On 27 October 2012, Gao scored the decisive goal, assisted by Conca, in injury time in a 1-0 win against Liaoning Whowin to give Guangzhou their second top tier league title and they became the first team ever in the league's history to defend the title.