Surprising information about the referee that caused Vietnam's painful loss to Indonesia

Amidst the contentious calls during the U19 Vietnam-Indonesia game, the background and professional journey of FIFA referee Ryo Tanimoto have become a major focus of public discussion.

On the evening of June 7, U19 Vietnam lost to U19 Indonesia with a score of 1-2 in the decisive group A match of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. This result cost head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's team the top spot in the group and allowed their opponents to advance to the semifinals. However, beyond the on-field performance, the officiating of FIFA referee Ryo Tanimoto also became a highly debated topic.

The match remained tense until the final minutes, as both teams fiercely competed for the top position in the group. U19 Vietnam had the chance to maintain its advantage over host Indonesia, but the situation changed during second-half stoppage time. In this decisive period, incidents involving the Japanese referee drew special attention and became the center of post-match discussions.

The biggest turning point came when Mr. Ryo Tanimoto awarded a penalty to U19 Indonesia in stoppage time. Slow-motion replays showed that the U19 Vietnam defender had no clear contact with the opposing player. Nevertheless, the "man in black" pointed to the spot. From the penalty kick, Evandra successfully converted the opportunity, securing a 2-1 victory for the home side.

Earlier, Mr. Ryo Tanimoto made another controversial decision in the 82nd minute. During a throw-in by U19 Indonesia, a home player stepped back to gain momentum and ran across the technical area of U19 Vietnam. While moving, this player collided with an assistant coach of the visiting team. The incident quickly led to a heated argument between players and coaching staff from both sides.

After assessing the situation on the field, the Japanese referee decided to show a red card to the assistant coach of U19 Vietnam. This decision continued to spark divided opinions, as the assistant coach was believed to have remained within his designated working area. These two consecutive incidents made the match officiating a topic as widely discussed as the final result.

Mr. Ryo Tanimoto, born in 1986, began his refereeing career in 2014. In 2020, he officiated his first match in the J1 League before officially obtaining FIFA certification in 2022. Since then, he has frequently appeared in major tournaments such as the AFF Cup, AFC U23 Asian Cup, AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two, and the ASEAN Club Championship. The match between U19 Indonesia and U19 Vietnam was also his first assignment in the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship.

Notably, in the 2024/25 season, Mr. Ryo Tanimoto officiated the first-leg semi-final of the ASEAN Club Championship between PSM Makassar and CLB CAHN, featuring representatives from both Vietnam and Indonesia. At that time, the Indonesian side won 1-0 in the first leg, but CLB CAHN triumphed 2-0 in the second leg to advance to the final, eventually finishing as runners-up. After this loss by U19 Vietnam, the decisions of the Japanese referee have once again become a widely debated topic.