Football matches have been avoided due to poor weather, violent crowd and due to a poor pitch. On Sunday, Romania added an odd reason to abandon a game.
The fifth tier game in the eastern European nation between Bistrita Bistrita Brosteni and Vanatorul Dorna Candrenilor was abandoned after all the match balls ended up in the nearby Bristita river!
The hosts were leading 2-0 after 58 minutes when they ran out of balls. However, the fans took the unusual abandonment in their stride, chanting “get them back from the dam at Bicaz”. Bicaz is a nearby dam.
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In the past too, there have been instances of matches being abandoned, halted or suspended for odd reasons.
Last year, a Sunday league match was abandoned when FC Barometrics, playing against Sharpness, were left with just six men after five players were sent off within 19 minutes for foul play, dissent and violent conduct.
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In 1977, a match between Derby County and Manchester City was halted after the Rams were awarded a penalty as no one could find the spot from where to take it. The groundsmen scrambled to mark the spot again before the penalty could be taken.
{{/usCountry}}In 1977, a match between Derby County and Manchester City was halted after the Rams were awarded a penalty as no one could find the spot from where to take it. The groundsmen scrambled to mark the spot again before the penalty could be taken.
{{/usCountry}}In 2015, a Euro 2016 qualifying match between Serbia and Albania had to be stopped after a drone landed on the pitch. With palpable tension between two countries, the incident was investigated by the UEFA.