Australia and Syria scored contrasting victories in their opening Group D fixtures of the AFC U-19 Championship at the Fujairah Stadium on Sunday.
The Young Socceroos were made to work hard for their first three points edging Qatar 1-0 while Syria routed Saudi Arabia 5-1.
Corey Gameiro scored the only goal of the game in the 12th minute for Australia after linking up well with Jackson Irvine.
After both sides missed early opportunities, Irvine, who is on the books of Scottish champions Celtic, sent an excellent long ball over the top of the Qatar defence allowing Gameiro to slot home the opening goal.
Four minutes later, Holland-based Gameiro came close to getting his and Australia's second of the game only for the PSV Eindhoven striker to be denied by the woodwork before Naim was on hand to keep out a 22nd minute free-kick from Irvine.
Syria made the ideal start to their Championship campaign after three goals in the first quarter-of-an-hour.
Mahmoud Al Mawas was the star of the night with goals in the 8th, 14th and 6th minutes before turning provider and setting up Adnan Al Taki and Samer Salem for Syria's other two goals. Ahmed Al Shehri hit what proved to be scant consolation for the Saudis.
Despite the two goal cushion Syria didn't sit back and extended their advantage in the 14th minute through a superb Al Mawas free-kick but the final goal of the first-half went to the Saudis when Al Shehri pounced on the rebound after Al Shakir blocked Al Jamaan's shot from outside the area on the half-hour mark.
Al Mawas latched on to a long pass and rounded Al Harbi to complete his hat-trick in the 69th minute.
His virtuoso display didn't end there as he had a hand in Syria's fifth in the 87th minute when he received a pass from substitute Nassouh Nakkdahli before delivering a cross for Salem to seal the emphatic win.
Syria will look now to seal their place in quarter-final when they meet Australia on Monday while the Saudis will look to bounce back against Qatar.