It could be a big game changer for Huang Sunhong. Host China showed what it means to have home advantage in the Round of 16.
China defeated Qatar 1-0 in the round of 16 at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China, to reach the quarterfinals. Their quarterfinal opponent will be Hwang Sun-hong, who defeated Kyrgyzstan 5-1 at the same time.
China opened the scoring just three minutes into the match. In the third minute of the first half, Dao Changrong found the back of the net with a powerful header off a cross from the right.
The goal proved to be the game-winner. China continued to pound the Qatari goal from the flanks, but were unable to find an additional goal. The game ended with a 1-0 victory for China after a late scuffle in stoppage time that resulted in one player from each side being sent off.
In the end, Hwang Sun-hong’s team would face China in the semifinals. This was not good news for South Korea, who were hoping to win their third consecutive title. While it’s clear that China is an inferior opponent to Hwang, it’s also a bit daunting considering the home advantage, including the passionate support of the home fans.
China also benefited from refereeing decisions against Qatar. They were awarded six minutes of second-half stoppage time, but in reality, about three minutes went by without any action. Players from both teams tangled and collided with each other and the coaching staff, and there were tons of warnings. On top of that, the Chinese goalkeeper suddenly collapsed and complained of muscle pain, delaying play.
Nevertheless, the referee blew the whistle at the end of the six and a half minutes of extra time. It’s customary to allow time to run out in extra time, but the referee ended the game with a knife. The angry Qatari players approached the referee and loudly protested, leading to a post-match skit involving the benches of both teams.스포츠토토
There’s no guarantee that Hwang Sun-hong won’t have a similar experience. Basically, you have to go into the game knowing that there is a very good chance that the referee’s call will go in favor of the Chinese side.
Furthermore, there is no video assistant referee (VAR) in this tournament. South Korea already lost a goal in the round of 16 against Kyrgyzstan due to a poor officiating call. In the 32nd minute, Jung Woo-young found the back of the net off a fantastic penetrating pass from Lee Kang-in, but was ruled offside. A slow screen showed that the opposing defender appeared to be ahead of Jung Woo-young, but with no VAR system, it was impossible to confirm.
China’s rough play, dubbed “Shaolin soccer,” is also something to watch out for. China committed some dangerous fouls early on in the match, but the referee rarely showed his cards. This will be a match where calmness will be needed more than ever.
South Korea already learned the hard way when they played China twice in June. The results were shocking, with a 3-1 win in the first game and a 0-1 loss in the second, but the injuries to players were more painful. Uhm Won-sang tore a ligament and returned home early, while Cho Young-wook and Ko Young-joon were replaced by injuries. Hwang Sun-hong will have to overcome China’s ‘dirty play’, the No. 1 target, to keep his gold medal challenge alive.
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