Dubai, 29 Jan. 2019

(CNBC)

The United Arab Emirates, host of the 2019 AFC Asia Cup, reached the end of its tournament run with a 4-0 loss to Qatar at Tuesday night's semi-final in a heated match marred by outbursts from angry spectators.

Fans threw a barrage of shoes and water bottles onto the soccer field after successive Qatari goals, prompting event security officials to urge calm and restraint. Match attendees posted videos on Twitter capturing boos and jeering during Qatar's national anthem and a field littered with objects that spectators had lobbed at players.

Dubbed the "Blockade Derby" by some, emotions ran high between the rivals at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City Stadium, whose teams met for the first time since the UAE, together with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain launched an economic and political blockade against Qatar 18 months ago. They accuse Doha of financing terrorism and getting too close to Iran, charges the Qataris deny.

Wednesday marked Qatar's first-ever Asia Cup semi-final. Algerian-born midfielder Boualem Khoukhi scored Qatar's first goal in the 22nd minute, with Sudanese-born Almoez Ali notching a second 15 minutes later.