ABU DHABI // The UAE women's team make a dream start in their very first international match with a 4-2 triumph over the Palestine in the West Asian Championship at the Military Stadium. Nachida Alifa scored a hat trick and a penalty from Fatima al Maleh secured the match with Palestine scoring twice twice through Natali Shaheen and Walaa Hussein, but the host nation were always ahead and in control in this Group B opener. Alifa opened the scoring with a 30-yard free kick in the 12th minute and doubled the lead from the edge box on the 25th. She could have scored a third shortly after, but her effort from the spot crashed against the crossbar. Shaheen pulled one back for a 2-1 score at half time. Maleh, who earned the spot kick earlier, was fouled inside the box for the second time, and she made no mistake with her effort from the spot on six minutes after the break. Hussein kept Palestine in the game with a 72nd minute strike only for Alifa to round it off with her hat trick eight minutes from time. "We did very well in our first competitive match and the result was just fantastic for a team playing for the first time at this level," said the UAE's Australian coach Connie Selby. "We controlled the game and created more chances, and could have even won by a bigger margin. "Obviously there are areas to work before our next game. We have a few days to do that and also have an opportunity to have a look at our opponents." The UAE face Kuwait on Thursday but will have an opportunity to see them in action against Palestine on Tuesday. Iran comes out for the first time for a meeting with Bahrain, who went down 4-1 to the defending champions Iran. apassela@thenational.ae