Vietnam gave a solid performance but failed to realize any of their chances into goals.
Star midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai had some moments of excellence but the coordination with his teammates was not good enough to beat UAE goalkeeper.
Bui Tien Dung also guarded Vietnam's goal well, catching and punching away powerful shots from the opponents.
Vietnam will play two more group D matches, against Jordan on Monday and North Korea on Thursday next week.
As the 2018 runners up, they hope to at least repeat the feat at this year tournament.