Dubai Sri Lankan scrum-half Emad Reyal opened the UAE's account at The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens with two flying tries against the tournament's two-time runner-up Samoa.
The Pool A game ended 55-12 in Samoa's favour, but the Emirati team's coach Wayne Marsters had a lot to be happy about after his side's historic first performance at their own home event.
In terms of getting on the scoresheet, fighting to the end and supporting one another, UAE - a team of amateurs against world-renowned professionals - did their country proud.
Reyal ran the flank fearlessly on four minutes to open the UAE's scoring, despite already being 19 points down. The 20-year-old from Kandy then wrapped up on nine minutes, finishing a great team effort to make it 55-10. Murray Strang notched the conversion to make it 12 points for the UAE.
Uale Mai top-scored for Samoa with 11 points from one try and three conversions, while Tom Iosefo, Faalemiga Selesele and Paul Perez scored two tries apiece.
The UAE are next due to take on Fiji at 1.46pm and they wrap up their group against Argentina at 5.08pm.
