UAE took the lead after seven minutes through Fahad Salam but Ben Kantarovski equalised for Australia three minutes into the second-half.

Trent Sainsbury put Australia in front after 57 minutes but Salem notched his second of the game to level the scores before Mohammad’s late heroics snatched victory.

The match kicked off 15 minutes later than scheduled as UAE were drafted in as replacements for Yemen, who were denied a quarter-final berth for fielding an over-aged player in the group stage.

And they made a great start as Mohammad forged his way down the left flank before his cross found the unmarked Fahad Salem and he beat Australian goalkeeper Robert Kolac to put UAE in front with just seven minutes on the clock.

Australia wasted an opportunity to get back into the game after 15 minutes when Jared Lum’s cross from the left was headed straight at UAE goalkeeper Eesa Abbas by Nikola Stanojevic, who was again denied by the custodian’s reflex save seconds later.

They Joeys came even closer three minutes before the break when Marc Warren’s free-kick from the right was met by Brendan Hamill but his powerful header smacked the bar.

Australia started the second period strongly and drew level three minutes after the interval as Kantarovski converted Warren’s neat left-wing cross from close range.

The Joeys then went in front in the 57th minute when Hamill flicked on Lum’s free-kick and Sainsbury found the back of the net.

They should have added to their lead almost immediately afterwards as UAE defender Ibrahim Saeed gave the ball away to Stanojevic who had just Abbas to beat but the keeper managed to smother the ball and the chance was lost.

The miss proved costly as UAE equalised after 62 minutes when Chahine Noujaim failed to properly clear Marwan Al Saffar’s cross and the ball fell to Fahad Salem, who beat Kolac with a powerful strike.

Australia almost regained their advantage after 82 minutes as Kantarovski’s header from Warren’s corner was destined for the back of the net only for Rashid Mohamed to clear off the line.

UAE then grabbed a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Ahmed Al Balooshi hit the bar from Salim’s free-kick but Mohammad was on hand to head home.