"For the first time to witness the international standard of referees to enforce the law competition, Mr. Manning's team on the field of play of the penalties rigorous and standardized, with seamless cooperation, is really a model for us to learn." After the game, a grassroots youth training staff heartfelt emotion.
On the evening of August 17, in the quarterfinals of the national finals of the U15 age group of China's first Youth Football League Boys' Junior High School Group, Shandong Taishan U15 team beat Chongqing Fengzhong U15 team 3:1, advancing into the national quarterfinals. The tournament also ushered in the selection of the 2022 Qatar
World Cup
The referee line-up features live enforcement by Chinese international referees Ma Ning, Shi Xiang and Cao Yi.
A youthful collision between youth teams and school soccer elites
One of the highlights of the match was that the opposing sides were representatives from grassroots youth training teams and campus soccer elites, fully demonstrating the characteristics of the CYC which is geared towards the youth of the country and breaks down the barriers to participation. Chongqing Fengzhong advanced all the way to the national top eight in this category and met Shandong Taishan in the quarterfinal knockout round. As the leader of China's soccer youth training system, Shandong Taishan faced Chongqing Fengzhong, a purely school soccer team, and almost everyone thought it would be a one-sided game before the match.
However, the reality subverted expectations: at the beginning of the game, Chongqing Fengzhong showed indomitable fighting spirit, high press tactics once caught Shandong Taishan team off guard, backfield mistakes one after another. Fortunately, the defenders and goalkeepers resolved the danger in time, which did not lead to the loss of the ball. In the 30th minute, Shandong Taishan Lv Haobin was the first to break through the goal, Chongqing Fengzhong still did not give up, they insisted on the tactics of high pressure, in the opening stage of the second half by Liu Yuhan equalized the score. Lv Xin and Li Yuanjie then scored a goal each to help Shandong Taishan U15s advance to the national quarterfinals in this category.
Although Chongqing Fengzhong failed to advance, the young players had no regrets because they conquered the audience with their tenacious fighting spirit and bravery, and their extraordinary technical and tactical level, which brought a refreshing breeze to China's youth soccer league.
International level referee, high specification broadcasting
The tournament was the first time that Manning, Shi Xiang and Cao Yi were selected for the Qatar
World Cup
The refereeing lineup returns to co-enforce the first match.
Unlike the serious expressions in the previous matches, the three referees always wore smiles and used their precise penalties to guide the young players to learn and adapt to the rules of professional soccer matches.
A deep soccer background and a strong soccer atmosphere are the cornerstones for the rapid development of youth soccer. In this process, it is not enough just to teach soccer knowledge to young players. Appointing international referees to enforce the CYHL on the one hand is to provide a high standard of protection for the tournament, and on the other hand, it will enable the coaching staff and players of the youth teams to better understand and grasp the rules of the game and the principles of refereeing, so as to play the game more effectively, and to ensure the healthy and stable development of China's youth soccer league.
Zhou Haibin, head coach of Shandong Taishan U15 team and former international footballer, also said, "The World Cup referee team headed by Mr. Maning enforcing China's youth soccer league fully reflects the national level's attention to the development of China's youth soccer. With their professional performance and precise penalties, they let the children feel the atmosphere of professional soccer."
In addition to international-level referees, in order to enhance the sense of ceremony for the young players and teams, the game also deliberately set the kick-off time at 7:40 p.m. in the prime time, using an 8-camera configuration of the broadcast, the CFA's various official accounts and the education channel, the central video, Knowing the ball emperor, the live bar, the soccer channel and other media platforms synchronous live broadcast. The high-specification broadcast not only enhances the brand power of the tournament, but also raises the attention of the tournament. The cumulative number of viewers of the national finals of the U13 and U15 categories of the CYC has exceeded 10 million since the start of the tournament.
