DUSHANBE, 22.09.2017. /NIAT “Khovar”/. The 42-year-old FIFA referee from Uzbekistan Valentin Kovalenko has been appointed the main referee of the first match of the AFC Cup-2017 inter-zone final between “Istiqlol” (Tajikistan) and “Bengaluru” (India).

According to the press service of the Football Federation of Tajikistan, on the lines he will be assisted by his compatriots, FIFA assistant referees — Mamur Saidkasymov and Husniddin Shodmonov. Backup referee will be Aziz Asimov. Salim Saeed Al-Suwaidi of UAE will inspect the referees. The match commissioner has been appointed Park Seong Kin of South Korea.

It should be noted that Valentin Kovalenko is a FIFA referee since 2002. Earlier he served two matches with participation of the national team of Tajikistan. In 2008, he was the main referee at the match of the AFC Challenge Cup group stage between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan (0:0) and in the final match of this tournament between India and Tajikistan (4:1).

We will recall that the first leg will be held on September 27 at the Hissar Central Stadium, and the second leg will be held on October 18 in the Indian city of Bangalore.