Overview
- Goalkeeper Khaled Towheed denied a Qatar penalty two minutes in at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah.
- Ali Al-Maamari struck in the 20th minute and Junior N'dai added a second in the 38th.
- The UAE controlled the first half, then held firm under Qatar's second-half pressure to keep a clean sheet.
- The victory gives the UAE three points in Group B as Japan defeated Syria 5-0 in the other match.
- The UAE plays Japan on Saturday and Syria on January 13, with the 16-team tournament running in Jeddah through January 25.