Dirty TackleItalian team under investigation for conceding eight own goals in last 10 minutes
A matter of days after Italian third division side Nocerina were thrown out of their league for faking injuries in order to get a match abandoned, calcio has been hit by yet another corruption scandal.
Eighth-tier Borgata Terrenove played regional rivals Bagheria in the Coppa Sicilia on Wednesday. Bagheria found themselves 4-3 down with ten minutes to go, needing just a point to qualify from a three-team group that also included Sicilian side Partinicaudace.
Borgata Terrenove then scored two in quick succession and watched in utter bemusement as three players on the opposing side proceeded to put eight goals past their own goalkeeper.
The final score was 14-3, giving Borgata Terrenove enough goal difference to qualify ahead of the third group team Partinicaudace.
The Guardian reports:
"It had been a real contest up to a certain point then Bagheria staged a farce," the Borgata coach Ignazio Chianetta told the website Siciliaingol.
"Their captain told me they preferred us to qualify rather than Partinicaudace.
Partinicaudace's coach Giovanni Cammarata said: "I can guarantee there was no agreement between us and Bagheria.
The FIGC (The Italian Football Association) are said to be investigating the incident, with regional president Sandro Morgana saying "I will personally inform our prosecutors about this and they will look into the case and establish which sanctions should apply."
Quite how any team would think they could get away with an own goal ploy this unsubtle is anyone's guess, but the Italian FA will probably throw the book at both sides.
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