In one of the most weird games in the history of football, two teams competed against each other to score own goals. Yes, you read it right; both the teams struggled in the dying stages of the game to net the ball into their own post.
It was the Caribbean Cup of 1994 where in their last league match Barbados hosted Grenada. The hosts needed to beat Grenada by at least two goals to go through into the next round while anything less would mean that visitors walks through.
There was a catch
At the discretion of the organizers, it was decided that in the case of a tie, a goal in the extra time would be counted as two goals.
As the match started, there wasn’t anything unusual and much to the joy of the home team was leading by two goals; only until the 83rd minute. In a dramatic comeback, Grenada scored a goal and with seven minutes to the final whistle, it seemed that visitors are going through to the next round despite the score being 2-1 against them. Thus, the Barjans were heading out unless they scored a goal; any goal and they indeed did so.
Things turned really comic after 87 minutes
With three minutes left on the clocked, Barbados scored a goal, only into their own post. Since Barbados could not penetrate into Grenada defense they hatched a very spooky plan of netting the ball onto their own post. This would push them into the tie breaker and there they had the second lifeline of sailing into the next round.
Thus, as a Barbadian defender and the goalkeeper Horace Stoute exchanged passes in the penalty area for several minutes and ultimately the defender lashed the ball home into his own net, deliberately, making the score line 2-2.
The visitors needed a goal – at either end – to avoid extra time and go through. And it took no time for them to realize the tactic the opposition deployed on them as they rushed the ball towards their own post.
But adding a further comic twist to the process, the Barbadians showed an immense presence of mind and anticipated this move. Hence thus, Barbados strikers rushed to defend the Grenada goal and held on till the final whistle.
Ultimately the match was pushed into the extra time and fortunately for the home team, four minutes into the extra time, they scored. Thus, they secured their way into the final.
