Vietnamese FIFA referee sparks major controversy at Asian Cup finals

Vietnamese referee Le Thi Ly generates significant controversy following a series of notable decisions in the match where North Korea lost to China 1-2 at the 2026 Women's Asian Cup.

The match between the North Korean and Chinese women's national teams in the final round of Group B of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup on March 9th at Western Sydney Stadium (Australia) attracted considerable attention not only due to its tense developments but also because of controversies surrounding the officiating. Tthe main referee, Vietnamese Le Thi Ly became the focal point as a series of her decisions were questioned by relevant parties after the match.

From the opening minutes, the match proceeded with high intensity and numerous fierce collisions under heavy rain conditions. In the 3rd minute, North Korean forward Kim Song-gyong made a dangerous tackle by stamping on the knee of China's Shao Ziqin. After consulting VAR and reviewing footage, referee Le Thi Ly decided to issue a yellow card instead of a red card, leading many Chinese fans to believe the North Korean player escaped severe punishment.

Another contentious situation occurred in the 84th minute. During a Chinese throw-in on the left flank, defender An Kuk-hyang was alleged to have struck Wang Shuang in the face off the ball. VAR intervened again, and referee Ly reviewed the video before deciding to show a yellow card. On social media platform 163, many Chinese supporters argued that both situations deserved red cards.

The peak of controversy arose in the fourth minute of stoppage time in the first half when China scored to increase the lead to 2-1. Initially, the assistant referee raised the flag for offside in the play where Zhang Chengxue crossed for Wang Shuang to score. However, after VAR review, the officiating team determined Zhang was not offside and the goal was validated.

This decision provoked intense reactions from the North Korean coaching staff and players. They surrounded the referee and repeatedly demanded a review of the situation. The team even refused to continue playing for several minutes, causing a disruption in the match. Referee Le Thi Ly subsequently issued a yellow card to coach Ri Song-ho for excessive protest and decided to whistle for an early end to the first half.

After the match, coach Ri Song-ho stated that the decision to validate China's goal was highly sensitive. He admitted that the North Korean players lost composure at that moment but asserted the team quickly regained focus to continue playing the second half. Additionally, he complained about the referee ending the match earlier than the announced stoppage time.

Ultimately, China secured a 2-1 victory to top Group B and advance to the quarter-finals as group winners. Meanwhile, North Korea dropped to second place in the group and will face host nation Australia in the next round, amidst lingering controversies regarding the officiating in the match against China.