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May 15, 2019

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History as women to referee AFC Cup clash

The Asian Football Confederation announced yesterday that for the first time an all-female referee team will take charge of a men鈥檚 continental club cup clash.

Japanese referee Yoshimi Yamashita and assistants Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi will officiate the AFC Cup match between Myanmar鈥檚 Yangon United and Cambodia鈥檚 Naga World at the Thuwunna Stadium today.

鈥淭his will be the first time three female referees preside in the Asian Football Confederation鈥檚 club competitions, marking a new milestone in Asian refereeing,鈥 the AFC said in a statement.

The AFC Cup is the second-string Asian club competition, a rung below the AFC Champions League.

Women officials have only previously been employed as assistant referees in AFC Cup matches, with Australians Sarah Ho and Alysson Flynn becoming the first in 2014.

鈥淭his is one of my dreams,鈥 said the experienced Yamashita, who officiated in the 2016 and 2018 FIFA U-17 Women鈥檚 World Cup and 2018 Women鈥檚 Asian Cup. 鈥淲e鈥檝e worked very hard and this is the result.鈥

Yamashita joins the likes of Stephanie Frappart and Bibiana Steinhaus, who have officiated top flight men鈥檚 games in France and Germany, respectively.

Assistant referee Teshirogi said her appointment will inspire female referees in Asia while Bozono said the experience will help in her preparations for the FIFA Women鈥檚 World Cup in June, where the trio will be among 12 officials from the AFC.

鈥淚t is exciting to work with Yoshimi and Naomi. They are very experienced and have been very supportive. I will learn a lot from them,鈥 Bozono said.

Meanwhile, UEFA said that Damir Skomina will be the referee for the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Skomina has handled four UCL games this season, including Manchester United鈥檚 3-1 win at Paris Saint-Germain.

The 42-year-old Slovenian will officiate the final at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 1.

Skomina also refereed the Europa League final in 2017, when United beat Ajax Amsterdam.

He worked three games at last year鈥檚 World Cup and showed the fastest red card, sending off Colombia defender Carlos Sanchez for a handball in the fourth minute against Japan.


 

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