In the 8th round of the China League One, Guangdong Guangzhou Leopards played to a 1-1 draw away against Dalian Kuncheng. A controversial refereeing decision dominated the post-match discussion.
At the start of the match, Dalian Kuncheng scored first, but Guangzhou Leopards players immediately protested that the scorer had committed a handball offense. Television replays showed the linesman raising his flag to signal a handball by the Dalian attacker. However, after a discussion between the referee and the linesman, the goal was ultimately awarded.
Following the game, Guangzhou Leopards head coach Feng Feng stated, “On the pitch, the referee blows the whistle, and we play accordingly. We accept the decision.”
“A winning streak is certainly encouraging, but there is no such thing as an unbeatable team in football. The league is highly competitive, and every match is tough. A draw is just part of the game. From another perspective, this result can help calm everyone down and allow us to better understand where we stand. That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Feng added.