When Barbados Scored an Own Goal to Win a Game 2-0 (No, Seriously)

This takes some believing, but I’ve been assured it’s true. Here’s what happened:

In 1994 Barbados faced Grenada in the Shell Caribbean Cup. A two goal win for Barbados would send them through to the finals in Trinidad & Tobago. Anything less than a two goal win would see Grenada advance.

So, with the score at 2-1 to Barbados and the clock running down, Barbados scored a deliberate own goal to make it 2-2. Why? Read on…

For some crazy reason, the rules of the Shell Caribbean Cup stated that tied games went to extra time, but whoever won in extra time was awarded a 2-0 win. So Barbados took their chances by “equalizing” for Grenada, then going for the win in extra time to get the desired 2-0 result.

Even worse, when Barbados made it 2-2 with three minutes to go Grenada figured what was going on and apparently tried to score an own goal themselves in normal time in an attempt to lose 3-2, but the Barados players successfully defended Grenada’s goal. Sadly this three minutes of madness doesn’t feature in the above video.

Barbados went on to score the needed winner in extra time, making it 3-2 on the night and the necessary 2-0 in the record books.

[Story spotted on Sandwalk]