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Colombian Side Play 3-2-1 Formation In League Game With Reserve Goalkeeper At Centre-Back

Colombian Side Play 3-2-1 Formation In League Game With Reserve Goalkeeper At Centre-Back

Rionegro Aguilas forced to start match with only six outfield players.

Alex Reid

Alex Reid

Colombian top-flight team Rionegro Aguilas were forced to start a game with just seven players due to injuries and coronavirus cases on Sunday.

The club appealed to have their match against Boyaca Chico postponed, as they were missing a remarkable 22 first-team players due to a Covid-19 outbreak which decimated their squad.

However that was rejected and Rionegro Aguila were forced to play the league fixture - starting their seven-man side in a 3-2-1 formation. Their six outfield players included a reserve goalkeeper at centre-back and a first-team debutant.

Incredibly, Rionegro Aguila actually held their 11-man opponents at 0-0 for 57 minutes.

Eventually, however, they conceded three goals before the match was suspended: Aguilas player Giovanny Martinez was injured in the 79th minute, putting his team below the required number of players.

Because starting a top-flight game with seven players is OK, apparently, but that same team playing out the closing minutes with six men is ridiculous. Of course it is.

The Categoria Primera A side were not afforded the treatment of Premier League teams Fulham and Manchester City who had fixtures suspended earlier in the season due to a coronavirus outbreak in the squad.

Instead, Aguila had to start their makeshift seven-side team due to 16 players being absent due to Covid-19 (with several other players also out injured).

In a statement shared on Twitter pre-match, Aguilas said they were playing only to avoid "severe sanctions" incurred if they did not fulfil the fixture.

The seven Aguilas players posed pre-match with banners that read "Life First" and "#CleanPlay".

Speaking to Win Sports earlier this week, Colombian league president Fernando Jaramillo said: "If there are seven players available, you have to show up with those seven players."

Before the game, Aguilas announced their matchday squad on Twitter with a pointed comment: "The 18... sorry the seven called up for the most unequal game in history."

Just one defender was shown in the graphic (and Liverpool thought they had defensive problems).

After the suspension of the game with 11 minutes left, Aguilas wrote on Twitter: "We lose the game but we will win the battle against Covid-19. We are very proud of you, guys."

Featured image credit: Rionegro Aguilas

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Colombia, Football