Chinese Super League Round 6: Shanghai Seaport battles Shandong Taishan, Wu Lei's double helps his team win 4-3
In a dramatic matchup, Shanghai Seaport hosted Shandong Taishan. In the end, with striker Wu Lei's second goal, Shanghai Harbour won 4-3 against Taishan. It is worth mentioning that the second assistant referee of the match was international referee Xie Lijun, who became the first female referee to appear in the Chinese Super League.
Xie Lijun, as an outstanding female referee in Chinese soccer, has officiated at the 2023 Women's World Cup and the final of the 2024 Women's Asian Youth Football Championship, and has been highly rated by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Becoming the first female enforcement referee in the Chinese Super League is a great recognition of her refereeing skills.
After the match, Xie Lijun shared her preparation process: "I often go to Chengdu Rongcheng's home stadium to watch matches. Before I came here, I watched the match videos of Taishan and Seaport and analyzed the tactical layouts of both teams in depth. Men's soccer is different from women's soccer in terms of style of play, and I need to be prepared for this change. Luckily, I have prepared my health for everything."
Talking about her feelings about the first match, Xie Lijun said, "I did feel a bit nervous before the match, but as the whistle blew, all my attention was focused on the match. I feel like I'm at a new starting point and the road ahead will be clearer. I am confident about getting 7.5 points in my first Super League match."
Xie Lijun also talked about the technical and tactical characteristics of the Chinese Super League matches, "The Chinese Super League is more mature technically and tactically, and the judgment of fouls and technical actions in the game may be more clear than that of women's soccer."
In this match, Xie Lijun's partner is the famous golden whistle of the Chinese Super League, Mr. Ma Ning. Talking about the pre-match communication between the two, Xie Lijun revealed: "I had a communication with Mr. Ma Ning. I told him it was my first time to enforce a men's game and I would be a bit nervous. He reassured me that I should not be nervous and it would be like an ordinary match. With his encouragement and support, I am more confident to deal with the challenge."
