The first leg between Vietnam and Singapore is set to take place at 8:00 PM on December 26 at Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore. The return leg will follow three days later, on December 29, at the same time at Viet Tri Stadium, Phu Tho.
The officiating team for the second leg has been announced, with Uzbek referee Lutfullin Rustam appointed as the main referee. He will be assisted by fellow Uzbeks Shayusupov Sanjar, Usmanov Alisher, and Norsafarov Firdavs. Additionally, the match at Viet Tri Stadium will feature VAR, with Indonesian official Andesit Lestyanto serving as the VAR technician.
At 33 years old, Lutfullin Rustam is an experienced referee with a FIFA badge. He has officiated top-tier Asian club competitions, including the AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two, as well as international matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Rustam gained recognition for his officiating in Indonesia’s 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, where he decisively denied Saudi Arabia penalty appeals in the second half. He also refereed Russia’s dominant 11-0 win over Brunei and was in charge of the Thailand vs. Malaysia clash at Rajamangala Stadium during the 2024 ASEAN Cup.
Notably, Rustam officiated Vietnam’s 2-0 victory over the Philippines in the opening round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November 2023. In that match, his decisions were accurate, and goals from Van Toan and Dinh Bac secured the win for Coach Philippe Troussier’s side.
However, Rustam has faced controversy in his career. In a match between Japan and North Korea at the 19th Asian Games, he awarded Japan a contentious penalty late in the game. The penalty, stemming from an unclear challenge, led to protests from the North Korean players. Despite their objections, Rustam stood by his decision, and Japan converted the penalty to secure a 2-1 victory.
After the first leg in Singapore, the Vietnam team is scheduled to return home on December 27. The Singapore squad will also travel to Hanoi on the same day, arriving at 5:35 PM before heading directly to Phu Tho to prepare for the second leg.
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