Match Abandoned - Insufficient Players !!!

[SwalePie]

Belenenses were forced to start their Portuguese top-flight game against Benfica yesterday with only nine men! An outbreak of Covid had left them with 17 players unavailable. They were 7-0 down at half-time and started the second-half with only seven players, due to two injuries. A further player went down injured soon after the re-start, leaving them with six players on the pitch and the game was then abandoned.

When Notts beat Burslem Port Vale 10-0 in a league game at Trent Bridge in 1895, the visitors turned up with only 8 players. Makes you wonder why the Magpies only scored 10!

Turns out they all tested positive for the Omicron variant. The 13 cases at Belenenses account for every detected Omicron case in Portugal apparently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59465983

[nw6pie]

Turns out they all tested positive for the Omicron variant. The 13 cases at Belenenses account for every detected Omicron case in Portugal apparently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59465983

Crazy story.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Belenenses as Belem is the home of the nata (Portuguese custard tart) and the ground’s close to the place where you can have a nata and a pint - a very dangerous combination.

On a football note, it makes you wonder where some of our keepers might have played if we needed them as outfield players. I’d have stuck Bob Catlin up front as nuisance value. Patterson might fancy his chances as a tricky winger.