During the 11th round of the Chinese Super League, Beijing Guo’an played out a 2-2 home draw against Shanghai Port in a match filled with dramatic moments. The officiating of referee Ma Ning once again sparked controversy, as several goals were disallowed after VAR reviews.
In the 37th minute, Zhang Yuning scored to put Beijing ahead, but after consulting VAR, Ma Ning ruled the goal out, instead awarding Shanghai Port a penalty. The call came after the review determined that a Guo’an defender had committed a foul in the box. Later, in the 70th minute, Zhang Yuan’s header appeared to equalize, but again, Ma Ning disallowed it due to a handball by a Guo’an player in the build-up.
As the game neared its end, substitute Wu Lei was penalized for a handball following a header from Da Wan. Ma Ning reviewed the incident and gave another penalty, which Zhang Xizhe converted to level the score. In the 87th minute, Zhang Yuning produced a spectacular volley, only for it to be ruled out after VAR confirmed he was offside. While the match featured a flurry of exciting goals, the spotlight ultimately fell on Ma Ning. Although he awarded penalties to both sides, the frustration among Beijing fans only grew.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. According to unofficial records, in Ma Ning’s last 11 matches officiating Beijing Guo’an, the team has managed 6 draws and 5 losses, failing to secure a single win. Official data shows that the last time Guo’an won under Ma Ning was on December 23, 2022, when they beat Guangzhou 3-1—nearly four years ago. This explains why Guo’an supporters harbor such deep resentment toward him.
Despite the backlash, Ma Ning’s officiating standards remain top-tier in China. While his frequent use of cards and bold decisions often draw criticism, his calls have consistently been based on the rules and applied uniformly. That consistency has made him a preferred referee for the Asian Football Confederation.
