Match abandoned amid farcical scenes

Published on: 27 November 2021

Benfica have lost just once in the league this season

Belenenses' Portuguese top-flight match against Benfica was abandoned early in the second half because the home side had just six players on the pitch - having played the entire first half with nine men, including two goalkeepers.

A Covid outbreak left Belenenses with 17 players unavailable and they were 7-0 down at half-time.

And, after a delayed break, the team third from bottom emerged with just seven players before an injury immediately after the restart left them with just six - resulting in an immediate abandonment.

Manchester City's Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva wrote on Twitter earlier in the match: "What is this? Am I the only one who doesn't understand why the game hasn't been postponed?"

Belenenses, who had to field goalkeeper Joao Monteiro in defence, got off to the worst possible start scoring an own goal within the first minute.

Such was their dominance with the two-man advantage, Benfica averaged 85% possession.

The own goal from Brazilian defender Eduardo Kau plus two goals from Haris Seferovic, one from Julian Weigl and a Darwin Nunez hat-trick had put the visitors in control by the break.

The match was called off a minute into the second period as Monteiro dropped to the floor, forcing the referee to abandon the game because the minimum number of players - seven - were not on the field.

The Belenenses players released a joint statement before match that read: "Football only has heart if it is competitive. Football only has heart if it is really sporting.

"Football only has heart when it is an example of public health. Today, football lost its heart."

View more on twitterView more on twitter

    Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsBelenenses

Formation 4-4-2

99Sofrimento Ramalho2dos Santos Cabral22Ribeiro Pires44de Sousa Santos34Pedro Lopes20Ferreira Santos31Silva Monteiro33Boni42Cavaco Silva Sá Montez972981

    99Sofrimento Ramalho2dos Santos CabralSubstituted forat 45'minutes22Ribeiro Pires44de Sousa Santos34Pedro Lopes20Ferreira Santos31Silva MonteiroSubstituted forat 48'minutes33Boni42Cavaco Silva Sá MontezSubstituted forat 45'minutes972981

Substitutes

    Benfica

    Formation 3-4-2-1

    99Vlachodimos34Magalhães de Almeida30Otamendi5Vertonghen22Lazaro28Weigl20João Mário3Grimaldo27Ferreira Silva9Núñez14Seferovic

      99Vlachodimos34Magalhães de Almeida30OtamendiSubstituted forRodrigues da Silvaat 45'minutes5Vertonghen22Lazaro28WeiglSubstituted forTaarabtat 45'minutes20João Mário3GrimaldoSubstituted forBastião Diasat 45'minutes27Ferreira SilvaSubstituted forAfonso Fernandesat 45'minutes9NúñezSubstituted forMatias Ramosat 45'minutes14Seferovic

    Substitutes

      2Junior7Sousa Soares15Yaremchuk21Afonso Fernandes31Bastião Dias49Taarabt77Aleixo Leite88Matias Ramos91Rodrigues da Silva

    Referee:Manuel MotaMatch StatsHome TeamBelenensesAway TeamBenficaPossessionHome17%Away83%ShotsHome0Away17Shots on TargetHome0Away11CornersHome2Away4FoulsHome2Away3Live TextPost update

    Match abandoned due to insufficient players, Belenenses 0, Benfica 7.

    48'Full Time

    Second Half ends, Belenenses 0, Benfica 7.

    48'Post update

    João Monteiro went off injured after Belenenses had used all subs.

    Second Half

    Second Half begins Belenenses 0, Benfica 7.

    45'Substitution

    Substitution, Benfica. Gonçalo Ramos replaces Darwin Núñez.

    45'Substitution

    Substitution, Benfica. Pizzi replaces Rafa.

    45'Substitution

    Substitution, Benfica. Adel Taarabt replaces Julian Weigl.

    45'Substitution

    Substitution, Benfica. Gil Dias replaces Alejandro Grimaldo.

    45'Substitution

    Substitution, Benfica. Morato replaces Nicolás Otamendi.

    45'Post update

    Diogo Calila went off injured after Belenenses had used all subs.

    45'Post update

    António Montez went off injured after Belenenses had used all subs.

    45'+1'Half Time

    First Half ends, Belenenses 0, Benfica 7.

    45'goalGoal!

    Goal! Belenenses 0, Benfica 7. Darwin Núñez (Benfica) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alejandro Grimaldo.

    43'Post update

    Foul by Darwin Núñez (Benfica).

    43'Post update

    João Monteiro (Belenenses) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

    43'Post update

    Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Rafa Santos.

    42'Post update

    Attempt blocked. Haris Seferovic (Benfica) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Valentino Lazaro with a cross.

    42'Post update

    Corner, Benfica. Conceded by Álvaro Ramalho.

    42'Post update

    Attempt saved. Darwin Núñez (Benfica) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by João Mário.

    39'Post update

    Goal! Belenenses 0, Benfica 6. Haris Seferovic (Benfica) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the top right corner.

    Page 1 of 3rewindpreviousNavigate to the next pagenextNavigate to the last pageforward

    Source: bbc.com

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
    Learn more