Ahmed Khalil was the hero for United Arab Emirates as they came from behind to stun hosts Japan with a 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory in Saitama.
Japan began their opening match in Group B – the final round-robin phase of AFC qualification for Russia 2018 – in confident fashion and led through Keisuke Honda's early header.
An onslaught then followed from Vahid Halilhodzic's men and they were rightly aggrieved when the officials failed to spot substitute Takuma Asano's shot had crossed the line before being parried away by Khalid Eisa.
Halilhodzic's side pushed their visitors back from kick-off, dominating possession before a buoyant home crowd, and they led after 11 minutes when Honda was unmarked to power home Hiroshi Kiyotake's right-wing free-kick at the back post.
Shinji Okazaki then broke clear of the UAE defence but blazed wide on the end of Shinji Kagawa's pass, before the visitors stunned Saitama Stadium with a 20th-minute leveller.
Maya Yoshida was booked after Ali Mabkhout went to ground theatrically under his challenge but there was nothing dubious about Khalil's resulting strike, a sumptuous effort that Shusaku Nishikawa could only palm against the underside of his crossbar on its way in.
UAE did not heed the warning over Honda's aerial prowess and the AC Milan midfielder was again left unattended on the end of a floated cross from Gotoku Sakai.
Ohshima had a stinging drive turned over after half-time but it was his trip on Alhammadi at the end of an untidy passage of play that allowed captain Khalil to nonchalantly chip home from 12 yards.
Kiyotake failed to connect with a low cross as Japan sought an equaliser and Okazaki headed a Honda delivery against the bar before Asano being wrongfully denied added controversy to a frantic finale.
