The Luneng tragedy (a shame in the history of Chinese football.)

In the history of Chinese football, the Luneng tragedy is a shameful event. This incident occurred in the 2002 AFC Champions League, when Shandong Luneng faced South Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai in the semifinals. Luneng led 3-1 in the away game, but lost 0-3 in the home game and was eventually eliminated. The referee of this game has become the public enemy of Luneng and Chinese football because they believe that the referee's penalty is obviously biased.

Game review

In the 2002 AFC Champions League semi-finals, Shandong Luneng faced South Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai. The first round was played in South Korea, and Luneng won with a score of 3-1. In the second round, Luneng returned to home to face Jeonbuk Hyundai. However, this game became a shame in the history of Chinese football.

First of all, just 3 minutes into the game, Luneng goalkeeper Wang Dalei was sent off for throwing the ball out of the penalty area. This penalty caused dissatisfaction with the Luneng team. They believed that the referee deliberately made things difficult for them. Next, the Jeonbuk Hyundai team took advantage of their advantage and started a fierce attack, while the Luneng team began to become nervous and anxious.

In the 36th minute of the game, Jeonbuk Hyundai player Li Dongguo fell in the penalty area and the referee awarded a penalty kick. This penalty caused controversy on and off the field. Luneng players began to protest, but the referee firmly maintained his decision. Jeonbuk Hyundai player Kim Tae-yeon scored a penalty kick and the score became 1-0.

In the following game, the Luneng players began to become emotional. They frequently protested the referee's decisions, and the referee frequently showed them yellow cards. In the 67th minute of the game, Jeonbuk Hyundai player Kim Tae-yeon once again shot the ball into Luneng's goal, and the score became 2-0. The Luneng players began to feel desperate and disappointed, thinking that they could no longer reverse the score.

In the 85th minute of the game, Jeonbuk Hyundai player Kim Tae-yeon scored again and the score became 3-0. This goal made the Luneng players completely lose their confidence. They knew that they could no longer reverse the score. In the end, Jeonbuk Hyundai won with a score of 3-0, while Luneng missed the final.

Referee controversy

The referee in this game caused public outrage among Luneng and Chinese football. They believe that there is obvious favoritism in the referee's decision, and this favoritism is out of support for Korean football. After the game, Luneng players and coaches formed a protest team and held up slogans saying "Chinese football cannot be bullied" on the court to express their dissatisfaction and anger.

The referee of this game is Japanese, and there has always been a fierce competition between Japan and South Korea. Therefore, many people believe that the referee's decision was out of support for Korean football rather than out of fairness and objectivity. This incident has attracted widespread attention in Chinese football and Asian football. Many people believe that this is a typical "home referee" incident.

Impact of the incident

The impact of the Luneng tragedy on Chinese football is far-reaching. The failure of this game seriously damaged the image of Chinese football, and many people began to doubt the strength and level of Chinese football. At the same time, this incident also caused reflection and reform in Chinese football. Many people began to realize the problems and shortcomings of Chinese football, and began to take measures to improve and enhance the level of Chinese football.