Bulgaria… Home of Mediocre Graphic Design
Take your pick for a lead on this one. Either the shortest game in the history of the Balkans was played. Or that someone thinks a Bulgarian 3rd division match can be “highly anticipated.”
From the Guardian’s Football Feed: “Home side Gigant Belene began their highly-anticipated clash with Chavdar Byala Slatina on Sunday with only eight players, saying they were unable to field a full line-up due to numerous injuries and suspensions.”
Actually there is probably a third story here as Gigant Belene will shortly become the inspiration for a zany morning sports talk radio bit called “Medical Condition or Lower Division Euro Football Club?” It’s pretty self-explanatory.
Anyway Gigant Belene suffered two additional injuries within the first four minutes of the match forcing the ref to abandon. The visiting Chavs were awarded a 3-0 victory and some tacky pants. It gets the distinction of being the shortest Balkan match in history on sort of a technicality as a few mid-90s affairs between KF Istogu and KF Mushtishti had to be abandoned before kick when sides were decimated by sniper rounds and pitches that were doubling as minefields.
