Tehran Times - Iranian referee Alireza Faghani has been chosen to officiate the 2018 World Cup qualifier clash between Japan and Australia.
The match has been scheduled for Thursday at Saitama Stadium.
Faghani will be assisted by his countrymen Reza Sokhandan and Mohammadreza Mansouri.
Mouood Bonyadifar is also fourth official.
Faghani has refereed important matches such as the 2014 AFC Champions League Final, 2015 AFC Asian Cup Final, 2015 FIFA Club World Cup Final, and the 2016 Olympic football final match.
The Samurai Blue face Australia in a clash that could prove decisive for both nations’ hopes of claiming an automatic ticket to the finals in Russia next year.
Japan, who lead Asia’s Group B by a point with two matches remaining, can book their spot with a win over third-placed Australia but defeat would put their campaign on a knife-edge as they travel to second-placed Saudi Arabia in the last round.
