Funny things happen in soccer which on a good day should not leave spectators feeling they really came to watch a basketball game. Fifteen years ago in Antananarivo, the absurd happened. Scores stood at AS Adema 149 Stade Olympique L’Emryne (SOE) 0.
On Thursday October 30, 2002, the Madagascan League was in the last stage. AS Adema of Toamassina who were sure of the trophy,engaged SOE whose coach Ratsimandresy Ratsarazak could not hold his disgust at the officiating.
His players joined by scoring themselves 149 times. They would score, take the ball to the centre circle and play backwards until they put the ball in their own net. It happened 149 times and the referee saw nothing wrong with that.
We have also had sickening results in Nigeria. In 2013, Plateau United Feeder team defeated Akurba a 79-0 in a Nationwide League playoff. The Jos side led 7-0 at the end of the first half.
At the same time, Police Machine of Adamawa, were busy pounding Bubayero 67-0 after a 6-0 first stanza advantage. The high scoring teams were level on points before the duel and were fighting to undo themselves to gain promotion. The NFF banned all the players and officials for live and the erring teams got a ten -year ban. Akure a captain, Timothy Saaed Arijide scored three own goals.
Akwa United tried something similar in 2007 when they beat Calabar Rovers 13-0 to gain promotion to the Premier League. It was fashioned to oust Bussdor of Port Harcourt. The Uyo team would later pay dearly when they went down the way they came up, after two seasons.
In the past, there were genuine high score results. In 1958, Port Harcourt Red Devils hit Ikot Ekpene 18-0 in the Eastern Zonal playoff of the Challenge Cup. The losers gave a good account of themselves but they played against the best squad in the country at the time.
Their conquerors later advanced to win the cup with a 6-0 drubbing of Federal United, Lagos in the grand finale. That was their second victory for they had won in 1955, bruising Warri 4-1. It was a year after school boys, St. Patrick’s, Calabar took the trophy across the Niger.
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The Red Devils had great national team players like Albert Onyeanwuna, Francis Uwalaka, Elkanah Onyeali upfront, and bouncing defenders: John Onyeador, Charles Ohiri, Ray Ohaeri, Aggrey and Okoroji.
That same year, Aba Giant Killers defeated Eke 24-1.Again, the victors had the country’s best full backs at the time. Skipper Francis Obi Okoye (Iron Gate), was on the right and Isaac Nnado who would later captain the Eagles in 1963, manned the left.
It did not only happen in the Eastern Region. The Western Region was all about Ibadan Lions who arrested Police Machine to win their their first Challenge Cup in 1959. They once bombed Ekiti 17-0.
Elsewhere in Africa, there is the story of Renaissance of Chad who lost 13-0 to Mbilinga of Gabon in the 1994 Winners Cup at away. They withdrew from the competition after that first leg outcome. In Ghana, Nania struck Okwahu United 31-0 while Great Mariners battered Tudu Mighty Jets 29-0. That was in 2009.
In other climes, England beat Wales 13-0 when both countries met for the first time, in 1882. Preston thrashed Hyde 26-0 in an 1887 FA game. In World Cup qualifiers, give it to Australia who destroyed Western Samoa 33-1 in 2001. The Aussies had earlier cleared Tonga 22-0. Kuwait dismissed Bhutan 20-0. Iran jammed Guam 19-0.
There are scores like:Guam 15 Palau 2. Fiji 13 American Samoa 0. New Caledonia 16 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1. Guyana 14 Anguilla 0. Mariana 11 Palau 2.
