Indonesia's under-23 (U-23) national soccer team, led by head coach Shin Tae-yong, lost 0-2 to Qatar in the first Group A match of the 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup at Jasim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar on the 16th (Korea time).
There was a controversy over the decision between Indonesia and Qatar. The problem is that the referee's decision leaned against Indonesia throughout the game.
Two players were sent off for Indonesia on the day. At the end of the first half, an Indonesian player was found to have made a foul inside the box, and the penalty kick was declared after VAR. Indonesia allowed the first goal here.
In addition to penalties, the referee was more stringent about Indonesia's fouls throughout the game. While a foul of similar intensity in a similar situation was given a warning to Indonesia, Qatar's players had no whistle even if they attempted to tackle roughly.
The decision, which was deemed unreasonable, continued in the second half. The referee's pattern was no different from that of the first half. He was strict about Indonesia's fouls, and tolerant of Qatar's.
When the standards for fouls were applied differently to the two teams, the flow of Indonesia was inevitably broken. To make matters worse, some players in Qatar lay on the field and the game began to be delayed, and the Indonesian pace was completely twisted.
Coach Shin Tae-yong, who lost the match, raised his voice over the unfair decision at a press conference after the match. Entering the press conference filled with anger, Shin openly expressed his discontent with AFC staff and reporters from different countries watching.
"Actually, no matter how much the game is played at home to Qatar, this kind of game should not be played," Shin said. It took only seven minutes for us to get to the stadium from our hotel on Wednesday. From the fact that we took a bus to arrive at the stadium in 25 minutes on the day of the game, I think the game where the referees acted so absurdly is not a soccer game but a comedy game in our neighborhood. Even if we give advantage to our home team, this is too much," he said in anger.
"I have nothing to say about the content of the game. It's so unfair. I hope there will be no such games in AFC games from now on. Only then will Asian soccer develop," he said.
"In the penalty kick, we should have gotten a foul because the opponent team pushed our player rather than us. I don't understand why they gave us a penalty kick after VAR. I don't know why AFC has given training to referees. I also have played soccer all my life, and I can't help but see that. I can see everything. That's why I strongly appealed to them."
"Our player did not even bump into the opponent in the first exit scene. I still don't understand after seeing the VAR. Why are you doing VAR in a game where the referee can do as he pleases?" he said. "It is an act of mocking fans who are watching the game. It should never happen. It makes no sense to pretend to watch and give penalty kicks. We have eyes, we see VAR. I don't understand making the opposite decision," he pointed out again.
As such, coach Shin Tae-yong and Indonesia have made a number of unfair decisions. 90% of the contents of Shin's press conference were related to the decision.
There is no law that the same thing should not happen to Hwang Sun-hong.
Hwang's first opponent is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Middle Eastern country like Qatar.
Although Middle Eastern teams spent less time playing "bed soccer" than before, Qatari players were lying on the ground for a long time despite minor competitions between Indonesia and Qatar. There is no certainty that UAE players would not play "bed soccer" either.
Irrational judgment may not be too far-fetched. If Korea passes the group stage, it will face the first or second place in Group A in the quarterfinals. In Group A, chances are high that the first and second place will be decided among Qatar, Australia and Jordan. In other words, Korea could meet Qatar in the quarterfinals.
As coach Shin Tae-yong and Indonesia experienced, South Korea should also be thinking about the possibility of facing unreasonable decisions if it meets Qatar in the quarterfinals.
It is also not to be left out that South Korea has fallen considerably behind in Asian soccer diplomacy. This tournament is enough to be viewed as an opportunity to push out South Korea.
There is only one way. "Bed soccer in the Middle East and its overwhelming performance is to overcome irrational judgment. If you take the lead and press the opponent team from the beginning, you don't have to worry about bed soccer of Middle Eastern teams. Judgment, which is difficult to understand, can be overcome with performance and result.
BY: 토토사이트링크
