The 2022 FIFA World Cup host nation scored two goals in each half at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and will now play Japan for the trophy.

Boualem Khoukhi and Almoez Ali both struck before the break to put the Qataris in command before Hassan Al-Haydos and Hamid Ismail added extra gloss late on.

It means a first final for Qatar who had never before progressed beyond the quarter-finals of the tournament.

They have remarkably won every game they have played this year without conceding a goal, although in their first group clash a strike which would have seen them fall behind to Lebanon was controversially disallowed.

The clash was an ill-tempered affair after the two middle-eastern nations severed diplomatic ties in 2017 when the UAE was one of a group of countries to accuse Qatar of sponsoring terrorism.

Home fans booed the Qatari anthem before kick-off and shoes were thrown at their players - a huge insult in the Arab world.

The match was dubbed as a "blockade derby" with the UAE ending with ten men after Ismael Ahmed was sent off for an elbow.

Qatar took the lead after 22 minutes in fortuitous circumstances when Khoukhi's shot after a swift counter-attack inexplicably went through UAE keeper Khalid Eisa and into the net.

If the first was lucky, the second was pure class as Ali curled a sublime effort around Eisa which flew home via the far post.

Ali has now scored eight goals at the competition and is almost certain to seal the golden boot.

Al-Haydos put the result beyond doubt when he escaped the home back-line and beat Eisa with a sublime chipped finish.

Ahmed's red card followed before Ismail squeezed in a fourth thanks to another goalkeeping error.

A crowd of 38,646 was recorded for the game with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council buying all remaining tickets and handing them out for free.

The final will be played on Friday (February 1) with Japan aiming for a fifth title.