The UAE have been knocked off the top of their 2018 World Cup qualifying group after FIFA on Monday announced sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia as punishment for the crowd trouble which wrecked their recent match against Saudi Arabia.

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Fans angry at the 10-0 humiliation in a previous fixture against the UAE caused the abandonment of the game by firing flares at Shah Alam Stadium as Malaysia trailed the Saudis 2-1 in the final minutes on September 8. Players and officials hurried from the field and Saudi fans ran from the stands as flares flew around the stadium, 11 people being arrested.

In a range of sanctions handed out by the world governing body’s Disciplinary Committee, the Green Falcons have been awarded a 3-0 victory. This means the UAE drop to second in Group A of the second round of Asian Football Confederation qualifying because of the points dropped in last month’s 1-1 draw in Palestine.

Mahdi Ali’s men meet Saudi in Jeddah on Thursday in a key battle for top spot.

Furthermore, Malaysia’s next home match – a World Cup qualifier against the Emirates on November 17 – is to be played behind closed doors, FAM is to be fined 40,000 Swiss francs (Dh150,000) and they have been issued with a warning.