Farhad Tadjiyev’s header after 30 minutes was the difference between the sides and despite the loss, UAE coach Dominique Bathenay remained positive.

“We were up against a better team on the night. There is no reason for my team to be disappointed and I can’t fault them,” said the Frenchman.

"They played well but couldn’t score from the chances they created. This has been a problem for a while and it continues to be.

“Malaysia was different and we managed to score five against them. Uzbekistan were strong in defence and you don’t get many opportunities, and with such teams, you just can’t afford to miss even a half chance."