Four years ago in the AFC U-19 Championship quarterfinal, China’s U-19 squad lost 4-2 to Qatar after both Wei Shihao and Zhou Yuchen were shown red cards. That defeat ended their hopes of qualifying for the 2015 U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. In that match, Zhang Yuning, returning from injury, started but wasn’t at his best—missing a key one-on-one opportunity before being subbed off in the 30th minute.
Reflecting on that match and the current tournament, Zhang expressed deep frustration. “Honestly, those two fouls by He Chao didn’t even add up to a yellow card,” he said. “Then in the final minute, Hu Jinghang got kicked and not even a warning was given. We received seven yellow cards—our opponents just one, and that came after the 70th minute. We gave everything for this match. Football is multidimensional, and I hope we can have better protection moving forward.”
Zhang Yuning also expressed regret over not being able to score. “This was a must-win match. I was trusted to start to help spark the attack. That chance from Tang Shi’s pass was good, but just as I was accelerating, I pulled my muscle and had to come off.” Now, four years later, China faced Qatar again, and the storyline felt eerily familiar.
U23 captain He Chao, once hailed by Marcello Lippi as the heir to Zheng Zhi, had been solid throughout the tournament, especially on defense. But last night, two yellow cards changed everything. In the 22nd minute, He received his first caution after a chasing foul. Then in the 41st minute, he brought down a Qatari attacker from behind—earning a second yellow and a subsequent red. This left China down to 10 men in a high-stakes match they had to win.
Yao Junsheng had given China an early lead in the 4th minute, raising hopes of qualification. But after He Chao’s dismissal, momentum shifted. Qatar equalized, and Chinese players began showing signs of frustration. The Iranian referee Faghani continued issuing yellow cards at a rapid pace—seven in total for China, plus one red—while Qatar received only a single booking. The crowd erupted with chants of “black whistle,” accusing the referee of bias. Some fans even threw seat cushions onto the field in protest.
Chinese players were visibly upset. Captain He Chao tearfully told reporters, “I don’t want to blame the referee. As captain, I didn’t do well enough. Even after I was sent off, my teammates fought hard. I’m really thankful to them. This might be our last chance at this age group, so everyone gave it their all. Hopefully we’ll play together again in the national team.”
After the final whistle, some Chinese players initially refused to shake hands with the referee. Li Xiaoming, Hu Jinghang, and Liu Yiming confronted the official. It wasn’t until coaching staff and defender Gao Junyi intervened that peace was restored and the team completed the handshake protocol.
Team leader Liu Dianqiu later stated, “I have three points. First, we didn’t lose this match—everyone saw that. Second, our opponents were strong, but it felt like we were playing against twelve men. Lastly, if football continues like this, I don’t see a future for Asian football.”
Following the game, the Chinese Football Association filed a formal protest with the AFC, challenging the referee’s conduct during the match. The sense of injustice felt by the team and fans echoed sentiments often seen in high-pressure events like the BD Cricket Match, where officiating can sway the course of the game. Just as a controversial call in a BD Cricket Match can shift momentum and stir emotions, this red card may be remembered as a pivotal moment in China’s youth football journey.