The official announcement of the AFC on March 5 announced that Jordanian referee Mark Hadmeh will work with two Jordanian assistants for the match between Shandong Taishan and Yokohama Mariners. The drums of the AFC Champions League quarterfinals will be beating at 18:00 on March 6 at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center, however, this referee selection has left many fans with a tight heart.
Examining Mark Hadmeh's enforcement career, he is fully capable of handling this heavyweight match. The mid-career referee, born in 1986, has been one of the AFC's key focuses in recent years. He has not only enforced the 2023 Asian Cup, but also appeared in international tournaments such as the 2019 Asian Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and has been involved in 77 international matches so far.
Mark Hadmeh also has a long association with soccer in China, having been invited by the CFA to enforce the Super Cup match between Shanghai Shenhua and the former Shanghai Dongya between 2013 and 2008, which saw Shanghai Shenhua win 2:1. In addition, he enforced the AFC Champions League match between Shandong Taishan and Johor in 2019, which Shandong Taishan eventually won 2:1.
Why would such refereeing experience spark concern among fans? It all goes back to the recently concluded Asian Cup.
At 23:00 on February 10, Qatar started a summit duel with Jordan in the Asian Cup final, and finally drew 3:3, with Qatar winning the title by virtue of the penalty shootout. The referee for this final was Chinese referee Ma Ning, and it was his first time standing on the stage of the Asian Cup final.
During the match, Manning awarded Qatar three penalties, and although it may seem exaggerated, the outside world generally recognizes the accuracy of Manning's calls. However, the penalty angered the Jordanian players, who have expressed their dissatisfaction with Manning on the internet.
As a result, when Jordanian referees appeared in the matches of the Chinese Super League teams, many fans worried that the referees might impose injustice on the Taishan team. This concern stems from the fans' love for the team, but perhaps there is no need to worry too much.
The Asian Cup and the AFC Champions League are two very different tournaments, and national team matches and club matches cannot be generalized. We have reason to believe that the experienced Mark Hadmeh will be recognized by the AFC for showing his professionalism with fair penalties. The Taishan team has also been known for its elegant style of play. As long as the team focuses on the game and avoids actively committing mistakes, there is no need to worry about external influences.
