For the world of football, many strange things don happen, but nothing reach the level of wetin occur for Madagascar on October 31, 2002.
That day, one official football match for the Madagascar top league end with final score of 149–0. This no be joke, na real-life history wey still dey shock football fans till today.
Background of the Match
The match bin happen for the final round of the 2002 season of the THB Champions League, Madagascar’s highest football league. The two teams wey play that day na AS Adema and SO l’Emyrne.
AS Adema don already qualify as champions before the match. SO l’Emyrne, wey be the defending champions, dey very bitter say referee decision for their previous match cancel their chance to win the league again.
For their second-to-last game against DSA Antananarivo, one controversial last-minute penalty cause 2–2 draw. That result mean say dem no fit catch AS Adema again. SO l’Emyrne believe say referee cheat them, and dem decide to protest in the most dramatic way possible.
Wetin Happen for the Match
Instead of play ball like normal, SO l’Emyrne players begin dey score own goals from kickoff. After every restart, dem pass the ball back into their own net. Dem do am repeatedly throughout the full 90 minutes. The AS Adema players no even need play — dem just stand watch as the goals dey enter nonstop.
By the end of the match, the scoreboard show 149 goals — all scored as own goals by SO l’Emyrne. This make the match enter Guinness World Records as the highest scoring match in football history. No other match before or after don reach that kind number of goals.
Aftermath of the Protest
The Malagasy Football Federation no take the matter lightly. As dem see say the protest don disgrace the league and the sport, dem act fast. The following punishments follow:
- SO l’Emyrne head coach, Ratsimandresy Ratsarazaka, receive three-year ban from all football activities.
- Four key players from SO l’Emyrne — captain Manitranirina Andrianiaina, goalkeeper Dominique Rakotonandrasana, plus two others — receive suspensions from the federation.
- The club also receive official sanction and warning.
The federation call the act “unsporting behavior” and say say dem disgrace the spirit of football for the whole country. The incident trend wella for international news and football journals as one of the most bizarre moments ever for professional football.
Why E Still Dey Important Today
This match still stand as a reminder say even for a sport as respected as football, emotions fit run high when people feel say injustice don happen.
But protest no suppose cross the line into mockery of the game. The legacy of SO l’Emyrne sadly no be about their titles or skill, but about that one match wey enter record books for the wrong reason.
Conclusion
The 149–0 result remain the most lopsided scoreline for professional football history. While e fit sound funny or unbelievable, the story behind am carry serious lesson about sportsmanship, fairness, and how to channel frustration the right way.
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