Two goals each from Ahmed Khalil and Ali Mabkhout helped United Arab Emirates to a 4-1 win over Qatar in the Asian Cup Group C opener in Canberra on Sunday.
After a bright start from the UAE, Khalfan Ibrahim opened the scoring with a lob from the edge of the area to give Qatar the lead midway through the first half.
Nine minutes before the break, Khalil equalised after the clearance from his goal-bound header bounced back off his chest and into the net.
Khalil put UAE ahead seven minutes after half-time, curling a free kick past Qasem Burhan. Mabkhout extended the lead with goals in the 56th and 89th minutes.
While the UAE attacked with intensity in the second half, they were also able to keep Qatar's playmaker Khalfan Ibrahim -- a former AFC Player of the Year -- quiet.
The UAE will remain in Canberra to take on Bahrain on Thursday, when Qatar face Iran in Sydney on the same day.
The Qataris, who won the Gulf Cup last November, now have a battle on their hands to qualify for the knockout stages.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report