Iranian player Saeid Ezatolahi expressed skepticism regarding the Asian Football Confederation’s decision to appoint an Arab referee for their Asian Cup semi-final encounter against hosts and defending champions Qatar.
He also voiced concerns about the inadequate recovery time allotted during the knockout stage.
The semi-final match, scheduled for Wednesday, will be overseen by Kuwaiti referee Ahmad Al-Ali, who has previously officiated two group stage matches and a last-16 tie in the tournament.
Iran secured their spot in the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Japan, the top-ranked team in Asia. However, they had only two days to recuperate after their last-16 match against Syria, which extended to extra time and penalties.
Iran’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, emphasized the insufficient rest period of “less than 72 hours” before facing Japan, and he also criticized the utilization of Video Assistant Referees.
