Goals by Ahmed Khalil and Rashed Essa in the first 12 minutes put UAE in control before Abdulaziz Hussain sealed victory with five minutes remaining to set up a meeting with Uzbekistan in Friday’s final.

UAE had won all four games on their run to the final and displayed their attacking intentions from the opening whistle, going close after only two minutes when Mohamed Fawzi headed Ahmed Ali’s corner wide.

They took the lead two minutes later when Ahmed Khalil played a neat one-two with Ahmed Ali before beating Australia goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne for the opening goal.

Redmayne was beaten again in the 12th minute when Theyab Awana made a good run down the right before feeding the ball to Rashed Essa who fired home a powerful shot.

Australia should have pulled a goal back four minutes before the break when Oliver Bozanic gave the ball to Victor Jason only for the lanky striker to fail to make contact with the goal at his mercy.

Jason was then denied a minute later when he fired a powerful shot against the left upright in what was Australia’s best chance of the first half.

Australia began strongly in the second half and went close again four minutes after the break when Bozanic’s corner from the right was headed wide by Ryan McGowan.

UAE nearly added a third in the 54th minute when Mohamed Fawzi broke clear down the left with only the goalkeeper to beat only to be denied by Redmayne.

With 10 minutes remaining, Australia were denied yet again when Jason saw his shot cleared off the goal line by Mohammed Fayez.

UAE then sealed the win five minutes from time when Hamdan Ismaeel’s powerful free-kick was saved by Redmayne but fell nicely for Abdulaziz Hussain to tuck the ball into the empty net.