The Notorious Benjamin Williams has been appointed as the referee of the Uzbekistan – Iran match in matchday three of FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers.  The match will be played in Tashkent on October 6th.

In the quarter finals match of the Asian Cup 2015, Williams awarded a second yellow card for Merhdad Pooladi just before half time for an innocuous contact with  the Iraqi keeper which the latter took full advantage of and faked injury and pain. Iran played the majority of the match including extra time with one player short. The controversial sending off was heavily criticized by the experts leading some Australian players to publically censure Williams. The Iranians, though, never forgave him. Williams facebook page was defaced with profane messages following the tempestuous quarter-final match in the Asian Cup 2015  in Canberra.

When Williams booked Pooladi for simulation, he appeared to have forgotten the earlier yellow card and he ran off before he was reminded, and then returned and brandished red.

On arrival from China, Queiroz heavily criticized the AFC for such an appointment. The Portuguese coach is still bitter about that unfair decision by Williams and considered awarding of the match to the Australian as a  hostile move against Iran.

 “This man refused to referee a match in Iran in the AFC Champions League. His motives were clear, he was not very popular with the Iranians after that scandalous decision in the Asian Cup.. However, somehow he accepts to be referee of a match that involves Iran but away. If he had any decency, and clear conscious, he would not have refused any assignment anywhere. But not referring in Iran yet agreeing to referee outside smell fishy. He should have declined this appointment (Uzbekistan vs. Iran) like he did in the Champions League.” Queiroz said.

“While we are at it, Kaffashian is a vice-President of the AFC. We made him win this appointment, yet he has done nothing to the benefit of Iranian football since his appointment and I doubt that he will do much for us in these circumstances.” Queiroz said in critique of his former boss.

After that infamous quarter final match, Benjamin Williams lost much of his reputation. He whistled a single match in the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers between Thailand – Vietnam (2nd round) so far.