What is special about the Japanese referee officiating the second leg match between Vietnam and Malaysia?

Japanese referee Ohashi Yusuke will take charge of the second leg semifinal match of the 2026 ASEAN Cup between Vietnam and Malaysia at My Dinh Stadium. At 40 years old, he has served as a referee in Germany and possesses extensive experience in Japan's professional leagues.

The second leg semifinal between Vietnam and Malaysia will take place at 20:00 on August 19 at My Dinh Stadium. After a 2-0 victory in Kuala Lumpur in the first leg, coach Kim Sang Sik's team holds a significant advantage heading into the rematch.

According to the assignment by the ASEAN Football Federation, the main referee for the Vietnam-Malaysia match is Mr. Ohashi Yusuke from Japan. The two assistant referees, Takeshi Asada and Michiyama Satoshi, are also from Japan, while the fourth official is Naufal Adya Fairuski from Indonesia.

Referee Ohashi Yusuke, 40, is an experienced figure in Japan's professional football system. In the 2026 season, he has officiated 9 matches in J-League 1, issuing 16 yellow cards and 1 red card. On average, this referee whistles nearly 20 fouls per game.

Previously, Mr. Ohashi officiated 12 matches in J-League 1 in 2025 after a long stint in lower divisions. Specifically in J-League 3, he refereed 20 matches in 2023, 19 in 2022, and 13 in 2021.

A special highlight in the resume of the main referee for the second leg between Vietnam and Malaysia is his stint in German football during the 2025/26 season. Ohashi Yusuke was given the opportunity to officiate 2 matches in the German 3rd division and 2 matches in the Regionalliga Bayern.

His experience officiating in European football, where matches are often fast-paced and fiercely contested, is a notable point as the Japanese referee prepares to handle one of the most important matches of the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

While the referee team's identity has just been announced, the Vietnam and Malaysia national teams are also urgently moving from Kuala Lumpur to Hanoi to prepare for the second leg match.

After the 2-0 victory on the evening of August 16, the Vietnamese players returned to the hotel to rest. This morning, August 17, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport to complete procedures for returning home.

The Vietnam team's flight took off at 12:40 and is expected to land in Hanoi at 15:00 on August 17. After returning to the hotel, the players will rest, relax, and recover their physical condition before beginning direct preparation for the second leg semifinal.

Like the Vietnam team, the Malaysia team also immediately moved to Hanoi. Coach Tan Cheng Hoe's team flew exactly 15 minutes before the Vietnam team and will land at Noi Bai Airport before coach Kim Sang Sik's squad.

The time between the first leg and the second leg is only three days, meaning physical recovery will play a crucial role. Vietnam has a two-goal advantage, but coach Kim Sang Sik remains cautious, stating that the team still has areas to improve, especially after the first half in Kuala Lumpur where the tactical execution did not go as desired.