The UAE will face Oman on Saturday in the Arabian Gulf Cup semi-final after topping Group B.
A goal from Ali Saleh earned the national team a 1-1 draw with Qatar in Jeddah on Wednesday night, and secured first place on goal difference.
It ended Zlatko Dalic’s perfect start to his reign as UAE coach, after wins in their opening two group matches.
But optimism remains high that they can reach the final of the eight-team tournament and push for a third Gulf Cup title.
Even though topping the group meant a more appealing semi-final against Oman, rather than hosts Saudi Arabia, Dalic shuffled his pack ahead of the game.
“We are under pressure from matches in a short period of time, but we must be careful in the coming knockout matches,” Dalic said.
“We have two days to recover and prepare, and we are developing little by little, and we deserve everything we have achieved so far.”
His starting XI against Qatar was made up of players who had had either few minutes in the previous two matches or none at all. The decision had obvious merit. The UAE were already guaranteed a place in the last four.
If they are to win this tournament, it will mean playing five games in 13 days in sapping weather, so giving the players breaks when the chance presents itself is sensible.
But the UAE had also built up some steady momentum in the previous wins in the pool, against Yemen and Bahrain.
They had been playing some fine attacking football, and Dalic might have been minded to stick with the same combinations who were gelling so well.
That said, the replacements looked every bit as assured as the first-choice players had been. The UAE dominated the opening exchanges, even if they did find themselves a goal down midway through the first half.
Just after the cooling break, Qatar caught UAE cold. Almoez Ali, Qatar’s greatest goalscorer, pounced to turn in a fine right-wing cross and give his side a lead they had hardly merited.
Even if the UAE had had most of the ball, they were only to blame for their own wastefulness.
Luan Pereira had two presentable chances in the first half, while Fabio De Lima and Khalid Al Dhanhani would both have hoped for better with shots at a side against which they had each previously enjoyed success.
Saleh, who had also been profligate in the final third at times, redeemed his side in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
A hopeful cross from the UAE’s right was not dealt with and found Saleh on the edge of the box. His aim was true as he drilled his shot into the corner of the net to level the scores.
Dalic always had a trump card to play, just as he did against Bahrain last time out.
Guilherme Bala had made his international debut off the bench in the second half of that game. He turbocharged the UAE performance then, and scored within three minutes of coming on.
The Shabab Al Ahli winger nearly struck even quicker this time. But he was just bundled out of the way by the Qatar defence before he could connect with a right-wing cross, just after coming on near the hour mark.
Later in the half he went on a mazy dribble and his shot from the edge of the box was well saved.
As the game wound its way towards a close, Bala injected some life into it with a rapid attack through the middle, only to lose his footing as he was heading through on goal.
“We were able to control the entire course of the match, especially in the second half, and I am happy today with the young players who took part,” said Dalic.
“We played well in the three matches. Perhaps we did not have many chances today, and I sought to involve all the players because I am thinking about the future.”
On semi-final opponents Oman, the Croatian added: “They are a strong national team and a side that should not be underestimated. We hold respect for what they have achieved, and we will try to make every effort to win the next match.”
