ESPN Network:
ESPN.com
ESPN Deportes
Fantasy Games
|
|
|
| Saturday, November 2, 2002 13:27 EST |
Team repeatedly scores own goals to protest refs
[Reuters]
ANTANANARIVO -- Madagascan football
authorities plan to take severe action against club Stade
Olympique l'Emyrne, who scored a world-record 149 own goals in
protest against alleged refereeing bias in a match on
Thursday.
SOE lost the game 149-0 to AS Adema in the last game of the
Indian Ocean island's league championship on Thursday.
SOE's coach Ratsimandresy Ratsarazaka orchestrated the
protest from the stands as the Antananarivo-based side began
repeatedly firing shots into their own net from the opening
whistle.
The Midi Madagasikara newspaper reported Saturday that the
club now faced severe sanctions for their bizarre protest in the
match against Adema, who clinched the title last weekend.
SOE, last year's champions, deliberately scored one own goal
after another in a pre-determined protest over refereeing
decisions that had gone against them during the four-team
playoff to determine the national championship.
SOE, AS Adema, US Ambohidratrimo and Domoina Soavina
Atsimondrano (DSA) played out a round-robin tournament at
Adema's home ground in Toamasina over 11 days to decide the
title, with Adema securing the championship last Sunday.
The league crown went to Adema after SOE were held to a 2-2
draw by DSA in their penultimate match of the tournament, also
on Sunday, with referee Benjamina Razafintsalama awarding a late
and hotly disputed penalty against SOE, which saw them held to a
draw and knocked out of the title race.
With the championship already decided, SOE decided to make
an own goal protest but they are now likely to forfeit second
place and qualification for next year's Confederation of African
Football (CAF) Cup.
The newspaper said the farce led to spectators descending on
the ticket booths to demand a refund.
The club would be charged by the Malagasy federation for
their action and several key players could also face sanction,
Midi Madagasikara said.
They include Mamisoa Razafindrakoto, who is captain of
Madagascar's national side, which recently scored a surprise win
over Egypt in the African Nations Cup qualifiers.
Adema's players reportedly stood around looking bemused,
doing nothing to stop the opposition from self-destructing.
Radio Madagascar on Friday claimed the result represented a new
world record score in a first class match.
SOE earlier this year caused a major upset in the African
Champions League with a first round win over highly fancied
Petro Atletico of Angola.
|
|
|
|
|
|
