Confusing referee! Live score: Thailand U23 national team versus China in a friendly ahead of the 2025 SEA Games.
On 14 Oct 2025 GMT+7, the U23 international friendly match took place between China's U23 team hosting at Kunming Highgate Training Center Main Stadium and the visiting “Young War Elephants,” Thailand U23, coached by “Coach Wang” Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul.
This was the second friendly match during the FIFA window. In the first match (closed friendly), Thailand reportedly lost to China 1-3, despite taking the lead in the first half through Thanakrit Chotmuangpak. China scored three goals in the second half to win.
In the latest game, the result was a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes, with neither side managing to score.
However, more discussion focused on the referee's performance, as several decisions appeared to favor the home team. Notably, in first-half stoppage time, video clearly showed a Chinese player intentionally elbowing Thailand's Phattharaphon Suksakit, but the referee at the scene issued only a yellow card.
Additionally, Thailand encountered problems with substitutions. The referee indicated that Thailand had completed all changes, although only "3 players" had been substituted—not "3 substitution instances." This confusion required the opposing team's staff to help clarify the situation.
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