Tahiti have made a winning start at the Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup, edging Poland 5-4 in Dubai.
Tournament favourites Brazil had a resounding 11-1 win against the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, in the other Group A encounter.
In Group B, Iran beat the USA 6-2 while Russia prevailed 10-6 over Egypt.
Swiss national team coach Angelo Schirinzi, who led the Tiki Toa to a fourth-placed finish at the 2013 World Cup, is back in charge of the new-look Tiki Toa squad for the week.
"We have new players there, we have the best players injured like (Heimanu Taiarui)," he said.
"Li Fung Kuee was not training for one year because of a job in France so maybe we have to try to go to the semi finals but it will be very difficult."
"This summer the whole Tahiti team was in Switzerland with us for six weeks," he said.
"They bring four/five new players: of course they are new and they are young and they have not this quality like the old players but we need these young players to fill up (the squad), to have new blood but it will be difficult to be competitive like in 2013 and 2011, or in 2015.
"It's very difficult to repeat but we will try to bring them on a good level."
The Tiki Toa, who were beaten in last year's Intercontinental Cup final, face the UAE in their second group match on Thursday morning.