3 Most Bizarre and Disgraceful Football Games in History
Why are the last matches in the World Cup groups played at the same time, you wonder?
To avoid games like the ones below, considered amongst the most disgraceful soccer matches to have taken place when teams already knew in advance of the results required.
1. West Germany vs Austria, 1982 World Cup
It was the last game of the group, and a 1-0 or 2-0 win for West Germany in their game against Austria would see both teams qualify to the next round. After West Germany took the lead, both teams started passing the ball around aimlessly for the next 80 minutes.
Algeria was the unfortunate victim, getting knocked out on goal difference despite having beaten West Germany in an earlier group game.
The game was widely deplored by fans, spectators and commentators alike.
German ARD commentator Eberhard Stanjek at one point refused to comment on the game any longer. Austrian commentator Robert Seeger bemoaned the spectacle and actually requested that the viewers should switch off their television sets. Likewise, many spectators were not impressed and voiced their disgust with the players. Chants of “Fuera, fuera” (“Out, out”) were screamed by the appalled Spanish crowd, while angry Algerian supporters waved banknotes at the players. The match was criticized even by the German and Austrian fans who had hoped for a hot rematch of the 1978 World Cup match, in which Austria had beaten West Germany; one German fan burned the national flag in protest.
This game is believed to have prompted FIFA to change the rules in the fixtures of all future World Cup tournaments.
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2. Indonesia vs Thailand, 1998 Tiger Cup
Closer to home, Indonesia and Thailand have already qualified for the Tiger Cup semi-finals, coming into their last group game. Controversy ensued as both wanted to avoid victory which would pit them against hosts Vietnam.
As the score stood at 2-2 entering injury time, Indonesian defender Mursyid Effendi fires home an own goal from close range despite the Thai players’ attempts at defending Indonesia’s goal!
Justice was swiftly served as neither team managed to make it into the finals. Thailand lost to Vietnam, and Indonesia lost to eventual winners Singapore in the semi-finals.
Effendi was subsequently banned from football for life, and both teams were fined US$40,000 for “violating the spirit of the game”.
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3. Barbados vs Grenada, 1994 Shell Caribbean Cup
And while we’re on the subject of disgraceful football games, this one should take the cake, due in part to the strange “score one get two” tournament rule for goals scored in extra time.
Shell Caribbean Cup final group game, and Barbabos needed to win by 2 clear goals against Grenada to enter the final. Bizarrely enough, the tournament organizers decided on a no-draw policy in the matches, and draws would lead into extra time, where a goal scored was worth double.
Barbados was leading 2-1 late into the game and running out of time to score a third, so they decided to score an own goal to bring the game to a 2-2 draw. Thus, extra time where a goal means they win 4-2, and they would go thru!
Realizing this ploy, Grenada rallied to score a goal before the 90 minutes was up – at any end! Comedy ensues as players got confused over whether to attack or defend.
Confused? It needs an article to explain how the game unfolded, and ended.
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