Despite their disappointment, both teams will be up for the challenge after having come so close to making the final.

It will be a hotly contested play-off as the UAE seek to add to the silver they won in the 2010 Asian Games while Vietnam are aiming for the bronze medal after having emerged runners-up in the 2018 AFC U23 Championship in January.

Japan will meet Korea Republic in Saturday's final while the UAE will go up against Vietnam in the bronze medal match.

There was plenty of action in the final third for both sides in the opening minutes as UAE came close several times, forcing Japanese goalkeeper Ryosuke Kojima into making some impressive saves while Japan’s attempts lacked the decisive edge.

In the final 10 minutes of the first half, Japan had two great chances - when Keita Endo sent a low cross into the box which a surging Daizen Maeda stooped low for a header but Emirati custodian Mohamed Al Shamsi was on hand to catch it in the 37th minute.

He then did the for Yuto Iwasaki’s volley six minutes later to keep the game goalless going into the break at the Pakan Sari Stadium.

The Taeguk Warriors, who will face Japan in Saturday's final, took an early lead off a counter-attack which was initiated by Hwang Hee-chan, who broke free in the middle and found Hwang Ui-jo in the box.

As the Vietnam players swarmed to make a clearance, Lee Seung-woo pounced on the loose ball to finish past Vietnam goalkeeper Ngyuen Van Noang in the seventh minute.

Goalkeeper Mohamed Alshamsi was the hero for UAE after he saved So Jong-Hyok's spot-kick to send the West Asians 5-3 on penalties into the last four following a 1-1 score after extra time.

UAE will play Japan in Wednesday's semi-finals.

DPR Korea, the 2014 silver medallists, created more chances in the first half against the West Asians who just had one shot at goal.

Midfielder Kim Kuk-Bom could have given the Koreans an early lead but UAE shot stopper Alshamsi stayed alert.

It was a cagey affair as neither side wanted to get caught out on the break as they both drew blanks on the stroke of halftime.

Syria, who edged Palestine 1-0 in the Round of 16, had the lion’s share of possession and tested Vietnamese goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung numerous times but the Southeast Asians held a solid defence to keep both teams searching for the opening goal.

Park Hang-seo’s charges had used their defensive capabilities to great effect in the tournament, advancing to the quarter-finals without conceding a single goal. However, their forays upfront lacked bite and Syrian custodian Ahmad Madnya was hardly tested.

The match had ended 2-2 after extra time with UAE winning the shoot-out 4-3. They will play the winners of the Bangladesh-DPR Korea tie in the quarter-finals.

It was action right from the start as UAE had early looks at goal with efforts from Mohammed Almesmari and Rashed Musabbah in the first three minutes, which kept Indonesian goalkeeper Andritany Ardhiyasa busy.

The win for Vietnam sets up a semi-final encounter against Syria, who edged Palestine 1-0 earlier on Thursday.

Vietnam, the 2018 AFC U23 Championship runners-up, found it hard to break down their West Asian opponents, who had better chances in front of goal with Mohamed Marhoon testing goalkeeper Ngyuen Van Noang from a free-kick in the 16th minute and again in open play 22 minutes later.

The East Asians’ best chance came after Bahrain were reduced to 10 men in the 42nd minute following Ahmed Sanad’s dismissal but Luong Xuan Truong’s effort did not trouble Bahrain shotstopper Ammar Ahmed as both teams drew a blank at halftime.