The UAE have it all to do to continue their Gulf Cup title defence beyond the group stage after two goals in two minutes from Kuwait saw the Blues claim a valuable 2-2 draw.
Ali Mabkhout's wonderfully-executed brace looked to have ignited the champions campaign before Badar Al Mutawa took centre stage. The attacking midfielder first set up Yousef Al Sulaiman's header, before striking high into the goal himself from 20 yards.
The UAE now almost certainly require victory against Iraq in Thursday's final match to stand any hope of avoiding a repeat of the
Coach Mahdi Ali promised changes following the stalemate with Oman. He was true to his word, with Walid Abbas replacing Al Ahli team-mate Abdelaziz Haikal at left-back.
The biggest alteration was in shape, a 4-4-2 that denied control in the opener ditched for the better-fitting 4-2-3-1.
From being diligent but barely threatening on the wing, Omar Abdulrahman was placed at the heart of matters in the centre. The alteration breathed life into a side which has struggled for goals since August.
The Al Ain playmaker was sensational in the first half, playing with a sharpness and vibrancy not expected from someone for whom Friday's match was his first competitive outing since September 30.
Those in attendance at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium saw a masterclass from the Arabian Gulf's true superstar.
Mabkhout was the main benefactor of the coach's decision, his expertly-taken brace coming from situations with Omar Abdulrahman's imprint all over them.
The latter won the ball in midfield and played a perfectly-weighted pass that sent the Al Jazira forward clear on 36 minutes. A check-back and stunning lofted chip drew huge celebrations, the pressure of a run in which the UAE had scored once in six official matches eased.
Ismail Al Hammadi skewed wide with the goalkeeper out of position soon after, Omar Abdulrahman again scything the Kuwaitis apart.
The Whites weren't as accommodating a second time. Omar and Amer Abdulrahman's interplay on the box drew breath, Mabkhout's first-time curled finish bound for the back of the net from the moment he let fly.
This was surely the moment that the holder's Gulf Cup campaign was to receive lift off. Instead, they came crashing down to Earth.
Centre-backs Mohanad Salem and Mohamed Ahmed looked like total strangers rather than club and international team-mates when they allowed striker Al Sulaiman a free header to provide hope.
Al Mutawa was provider then, 120 second later he was the main attraction. The attacking midfielder spotted a gap on the edge of the Whites' penalty box, charging forward and letting fly from 20 yards.
Goalkeeper Ali Khaseif did not cover himself in glory, leaden-footed and jumping with the wrong hand as the UAE were stunned.
A classic seemed on the cards but little happened after the break. Defeat was too bleak a prospect for the UAE to push, while Kuwait were fully satisfied with a point after beating Iraq 1-0 in their opener.
Set-pieces were the only real avenue for either side, the UAE's sterile possession creating very little from that point. Salem failed to connect properly with a header from a corner, while Musaed El Enazi found the side-netting with a free-kick for the Blues.
