Jiangsu Derby is about to win a draw! The referee blows off Suzhou s goal, and 20,000 fans are asking for an explanation

The night is low and the lights are on. On the evening of June 15, on the evening of June 15, a highly anticipated "Jiangsu Derby" was staged passionately between Lianyungang and Suzhou. More than 25,000 fans flocked to the stadium, looking forward to a showdown with sparks splashing around. However, the progress of the game was as ups and downs as a roller coaster, and finally ended with a 1:1 draw, but the controversial penalty triggered an uproar, pushing the game to the forefront of public opinion. At the beginning of the game, in the 18th minute, Suzhou team, who played away, was the first to break the deadlock. No. 17 player Wang Fei shot with a strong shot, and the ball entered the net, and Suzhou fans were instantly excited. However, Lianyungang team was not willing to be outdone and soon won a penalty kick. No. 39 player Liu Ye withstood the pressure and steadily cut the ball into the ball, equalizing the score, and both sides returned to a balanced position. The second half of the game was even more exciting. In the 83rd minute, Suzhou also got a penalty kick. However, fate did not seem to be on their side. The ball hit the post and bounced out, and the audience sighed with regret. Just when people thought the game would end in a draw, in the 96th minute of stoppage time, Suzhou team found an opportunity in a melee in the penalty area and scored with a supplementary shot! The players were ecstatic and were preparing to celebrate the final victory, but the lineman raised the flag ruthlessly to signal offside. The goal was judged invalid, and the cooked duck of Suzhou team flew like this, and the players looked surprised and incredible. The focus of the controversy is on this blown-out goal. Through slow-motion replay, we can clearly see that at the moment of passing, the Suzhou player participating in the header competition is almost parallel to the last defensive player. According to football rules, this does not constitute an offside. The subsequent supplemental shot should be judged to be valid. However, the referee on duty insisted that there was offside behavior in the previous offense and the final penalty was invalid.

This blown away goal has a great impact on the Suzhou team. If this goal is counted, they will have their first win of the season and successfully escape from the relegation zone. However, they are still ranked low with a score of 3 draws and 3 points, and the pressure to relegate is doubled. What makes the players feel even more frustrated is that they don’t score the penalty kick and the final kill is blown away. The depression in their hearts can be imagined. After the game, the fans' emotions broke out completely, and there was a hustle and bustle inside and outside the stadium. Fans questioned: Why not enable the video assistant referee (VAR) for verification? However, the reality is that in the "Soviet Super League" league, only a few stadiums such as Nanjing and Suzhou are equipped with VAR equipment, and this game in Lianyungang does not have the conditions to use VAR. In the end, referee Zhang Lei left the court amidst doubts and the players. The Suzhou Club expressed strong dissatisfaction with this and has formally filed a complaint to the league organizing committee, demanding a thorough investigation of the matter. In an interview after the game, Suzhou team head coach Guo Xu reluctantly said that the team performed well, but "a little luck", and his words revealed deep regret. The fans were even more direct, expressing their dissatisfaction online, pushing the "misjudgment of the Soviet Super League" to a hot topic. Some fans said angrily: "This is obviously a misjudgment!" Everyone strongly called for popularizing VAR equipment in all stadiums as soon as possible, strengthening referee training and improving the level of punishment.

It is worth mentioning that the hot holding of the "Soviet Super League" league has also driven the development of the local economy. The game attracted 25,619 spectators, setting a record for attendance. The low ticket price (10 yuan per ticket) lowered the threshold for watching the game, attracted a large number of fans, and also drove tourism consumption in Lianyungang and Suzhou, contributing more than 300 million yuan in revenue to the local economy. In addition, this controversy even became popular, driving the stock prices of several listed sports equipment and lawn companies to rise. Before the game, the official accounts of the two places were still interacting cordially online, and the fans were also enthusiastic. However, after the game, there was a fierce quarrel between fans who supported different teams in the carriage.

However, this controversy also exposed the problems behind the "Soviet Super League" league. Some fans have reported that it is not the first time that the referee's key penalty has caused controversy. In Lianyungang without VAR equipment, the referee could only rely on his naked eyes to make judgments, which caused such a big storm. It is far from enough to rely solely on low ticket prices to attract fans. If the fairness of the game is always questioned, the enthusiasm of fans will eventually cool down, and the popularity that the league has finally accumulated may also be damaged. The competition should be exciting and fair. Popularizing VAR equipment and improving the level of referees are already imminent and cannot be delayed. Otherwise, the enthusiasm of fans will be disappointed. This "family league" that has finally become popular will have a more difficult future.

In the end, the score of this "Jiangsu Derby" was frozen at 1:1, but the debate around the blown-out finale was far from over. Ultimately, what fans care about the most is the fairness visible on the court. This may be a test that the "Soviet Super League" league must go through during its growth.