Two goals from Khalid Al Oraimi, both scored at crucial times, were the key to victory for Oman, who are now one win away from both the competition's final and a place in the 2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay.

Oman will now meet UAE in Friday's semi-final, while Bahrain's brave defeat eliminates them from the competition, and ends their hopes of returning to the global Finals after a 10-year absence.

A 4-3 defeat to Oman on Tuesday saw the reigning champions slip to second place in Group D, setting up a mouth-watering win-or-go-home clash with Japan, themselves an Asian powerhouse with nine successive appearances at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

Iran finished third at the World Cup in 2017, and are currently second in the world rankings, but with the tournament now in its knockout stage, the only certainty in Thursday's match is that one of the Continent's powerhouses will see their campaign come to an early end.

After missing the 2017 tournament altogether, Palestine's perfect record of three wins from as many matches in Thailand means they are now potentially two wins away from a history-making berth at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

Hashim is excited by that prospect, and believes his side has the ability to become the seventh Asian nation to appear in the global showpiece.

"I hope (World Cup qualification) happens for us in Palestine," he said.

So'od's side progressed to the knockout stage by the barest of the margins, advancing by virtue of their head-to-head record after finish level with Thailand on three points, with Thailand's parting 2-0 win over Afghanistan proving crucial.

But the level of the Southeast Asian side's play has steadily, and notably, improved, with player Shafiq Riza Huzair labelling their performance in Monday's 6-5 defeat to Palestine, the team's best ever.

So'od agrees the showing against Palestine was a new high, but said he is hoping the Malaysian side will deliver an even better display in their cutthroat quarter-final against the Emiratis.

The 4-3 win over the reigning champions saw Oman top Group D, and announce their credentials as potential Asian champions, but it will count for nothing if they fail to repeat the dose against Bahrain in the last eight.

While understandably pleased with his side's success against Iran, the highly experienced Hilal said the instant elimination that will follow any slip up against Bahrain makes the coming match an even tougher challenge.

The 75th-ranked Malaysians have advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in history, and now stand just two wins away from an unlikely berth at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay this November.

But standing in their way is an Emirati outfit who were Asian runners-up in 2017, have five FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup appearances under their belt and currently sit 12th in the global rankings.

With the title of Asian champions, and three places at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay, up for grabs, there will plenty on the line when the Continent's top teams go toe to toe in Thursday's blockbuster four-match schedule.