4 days ago
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By Trung Thu  March 27, 2025 | 01:10 am PT
Kuai Jiwen, a young Chinese midfielder, is facing criticism online after a dangerous challenge on Viktor Le during China's 1-1 draw with Vietnam in the 2025 U22 CFA China Team.
During a play in the 45th minute of the game on Tuesday, Kuai shoved Viktor twice from behind which made the Vietnamese midfielder fell and rolled. As Kuai tried to jump over him, he landed with a kick to Viktor's left thigh. Despite the incident, the referee did not call it a foul and awarded China a throw-in instead.
Viktor later required medical attention after the kick. Several Vietnamese players surrounded the referee to question him for not booking Kuai, while Vietnam head coach Dinh Hong Vinh reacted on the sidelines and was shown a yellow card.
Chinese U22 midfielder Kuai Jiwen stamps on Viktor Le's thigh in the 45th minute, during the 1-1 draw with Vietnam in the CFA China Team friendly tournament on March 25, 2025.
The incident quickly became a hot topic across Chinese media and social platforms such as Weibo, Sohu, Sina, QQ and 163. Many users argued that Kuai should have received a red card, while others defended the midfielder, suggesting the foul was unintentional.
On Sina, journalist Mao Zhengyu wrote: "Such an action would rarely go unpunished in an international tournament."Sohu commented: "Kuai lost control of his emotions and clearly stamped on a fallen player. This could have easily been a red card, but the referee, being Chinese, let it go."
However, journalist Yang Tianying offered a different opinion on Weibo: "That was a tough challenge, but not one Kuai could avoid. A yellow card and a reminder from the referee would've been fine. China U22 need this level of fighting spirit in every position."
Kuai, born in 2006, is the youngest player in the current U22 squad of China. He hails from Xinjiang, an emerging talent pool the Chinese Football Association is investing in. Kuai is currently signed to Shanghai Port FC.
Although Kuai avoided a red card, his teammate Zhang Yixuan was not as fortunate. In the 74th minute, Zhang was shown a second yellow card and sent off after a reckless two-footed challenge from behind on Nguyen Thanh Nhan.
The draw was enough for China to win the 2025 CFA China Team with five points, following a 0-0 draw with Uzbekistan and a 1-0 win over South Korea.
Uzbekistan finished second with four points, while Vietnam placed third after drawing all three matches.
CFA China Team highlights: China 1-1 Vietnam
