Abu Dhabi: UAE coach Mahdi Ali blasted the lack of crowd support for his side after they crashed to a dismal 4-0 home defeat to Uzbekistan on Tuesday night, their final match before they defend their Gulf Cup crown in Saudi Arabia next month.

He said the deserted stands for the friendly at Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium provided his men with “no motivation”, and added: “I wish to play all the games outside the UAE because this [the lack of support] is really disappointing.”

Ali’s gamble of making five changes to the side which held Australia to a 0-0 draw at home last Friday also backfired badly, as the hosts looked bereft of ideas and cohesion.

However, the defeat must be put into context as the UAE boss was also without the injured Esmail Mattar and Omar Abdul Rahman, among others.

Yet he will be troubled by another glaring example of ongoing striking deficiencies – Abdul Aziz Sanqour’s late leveller against Lithuania in a 1-1 draw in Austria last month their only goal in five matches this season.

The ineffectual Ali Mabkhout summed up the UAE’s woes up front when he found himself in space in the penalty box, but failed to connect with a cross from the right after only four minutes.

It was to be a rare glimpse of goal for the Whites, who were playing in red, as the visitors (in white) seized control with an attacking display of pace and purpose.

Sanzhar Tursonov and Odil Ahmedov had served notice of the visitors’ threat with early long-rang efforts, before Timur Kapadze put Uzbekistan ahead with a brilliant header from Mohammadiev Shukhrat’s right-wing cross after 31 minutes.

Ahmad Khalil nearly restored parity for the UAE with a dipping, right-foot free-kick, which was tipped over the bar by Eldorbeck Suyunov.

However, in first-half injury time Uzbekistan doubled their advantage when defender Mohammad Ahmad Gharib diverted Tursonov’s cross into his own net.

Any hopes of a UAE comeback in the second half were swiftly shut out when Uzbekistan skipper Server Djeparov tapped home his 23rd international goal after a goalmouth scramble.

Then, in the dying minutes, substitute Navruz Alimov capped a miserable night for the Whites when he scored the best goal of the game, firing a 25-yarder into the top corner with cool aplomb to make it 4-0.

The UAE next head to Saudi Arabia for the Gulf Cup of Nations between November 13 and 26.

The UAE won the tournament in January 2013 when they beat Iraq 2-1 in the final thanks to goals from Omar Abdul Rahman and Esmail Al Hammadi.

They are in Group B of the event this time around, alongside Oman, Kuwait and Iraq.