The UAE survived a second-half scare to secure a 3-1 victory against Hong Kong in the Group C clash for the AFC Asian Cup.
The Emiratis struck first in the 34th minute, with Sultan Adil coolly converting a penalty to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
However, Hong Kong refused to be daunted. Just after the restart, Chan Siu Kwan pounced on a loose ball to equalise, injecting a jolt of excitement into the match.
Undeterred, the UAE pushed back with renewed vigour. Zayed Al Zaabi restored their lead with a precise strike, and late on, Yahya Al-Ghassani sealed the victory with another penalty, sending the UAE off to a winning start in their quest for Asian glory.
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