The Japanese national football team, Samurai Blue, handed a significant defeat to their South Korean counterparts amidst visible tension. The Korean team protested the judgement calls twice during the match, resulting in a controversial conclusion. The incident adds fuel to the long-standing soccer rivalry between the nations, which intensifies each time they meet on the pitch.

Football is a popular sport in Japan, and matches involving the national team, especially against South Korea, receive significant public attention. The stakes are high, with both teams being premier competitors in Asia. The public largely aligns with the referees' decisions, seeing them as integral to the sport. Protests against refereeing decisions are generally seen as disrespectful to the game's spirit, causing public uproar.

In the US and EU, football matches and referee decisions are also subject to intense public scrutiny. However, there is a more structured approach to address disputes, featuring technology such as VAR (Video Assistant Referee) in most major tournaments. These measures help mitigate controversies, although disagreements still occur.