Emirati supporters were justifiably concerned when injury ruled dynamic playmaker Omar Abdulrahman out of the tournament, but for the second edition running, Mabkhout has emerged as the UAE's attacking focal point.

The Al Jazira forward was the star marksman of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, finishing as the top scorer with five goals, and has netted in the last four matches of the host nation's run to the semi-finals of this year's tournament.

Injury clouds for hosts; Two in, two out for Qatar

It will be a suspenseful wait for the Emirati team sheet to be revealed, but Ismail Al Hammadi and captain Fares Juma are expected to start despite suffering knocks in a bruising quarter-final win over Australia.

While the fitness of those players remains under a cloud, Alberto Zaccheroni will be able to call on Khamis Esmaeel, who served a suspension against the Socceroos.

Bassam Al Rawi and Abdelaziz Hatim, Qatar's goal scoring heroes from their two previous knockout stage wins, are both suspended, but Omer Madibo and 2018 AFC Player of the Year Abdelkarim Hassan will be welcomed back with open arms.

Outstanding disciplinary records were erased following the quarter-finals, meaning only a red card in Monday's match will result in a player missing the final.

Ali Mabkhout’s solitary goal midway through the second half ensured the UAE advanced to the last four for the second tournament in a row and erased the agony of losing 2-0 to the Australians in Newcastle in 2015.

Nine of Alberto Zaccheroni’s 23-man squad were involved in the last edition of the Continental Championship and veteran striker Ismaeil Matar claimed the quarter-final win over the Australians went some way towards soothing the memory of that loss.

Milligan has close links with the hosts, having spent two seasons playing club football in the UAE and he praised Alberto Zaccheroni’s side after they eliminated the defending champions.

The UAE saw off the Socceroos when Ali Mabkhout capitalised on an error by Milos Degenek to score the only goal of the game and avenge a semi-final defeat at the hands of Australia four years ago.

Five successive wins have the West Asian nation on the brink of history, and potentially two good performances away from becoming the ninth nation to claim the Continental title.

Lami, who won 21 caps for Al Annabi from 2005 to 2014, spoke passionately about his pride for the national shirt, calling on Felix Sanchez's players not to take their opportunities for granted.

Qatar's success would have been difficult to imagine four years ago. Hassan, an unused substitute, watched on as Bahrain's Sayed Ahmed scored eight minutes from time to deliver a final blow to Al Annabi's 2015 campaign.

Three successive losses meant Hassan's side left Australia without a single point. After years of steady progress, and a quarter-final appearance on home soil four years prior, it was their worst ever result at an AFC Asian Cup.

Skip forward four years and the circumstances are unrecognisable. Qatar have won five successive matches, and beaten three former champions in a row, to reach the final four for the first time history.

The West Asians earned a slice history on Friday, defeating two-time winners and 2015 runners-up Korea Republic thanks to Abdelaziz's Hatim's 78th-minute screamer at Zayed Sports City Stadium.

The achievement is the latest for a side packed with young talents to have blossomed under the tutelage of head coach Felix Sanchez, who also coached 11 players from the current squad at last year's AFC U-23 Championship

The Qatari starting line-up also featured no less than seven players from the Al Sadd club, including Khoukhi, who believes those examples of continuity are aiding the team's cause.