When Barbados Scored An Own Goal On Purpose And Still Won The Game

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When Barbados Scored an Own Goal on Purpose and Still Won the Game: Football is full of strange moments. But every now and then, the beautiful game gives us something so absurd, so chaotic, so utterly ridiculous,  it feels like a bad FIFA glitch. And this, my friends, is one of those moments.

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Let’s rewind to 1994, where Barbados vs. Grenada in a Caribbean Cup qualifier turned into what can only be described as a tactical circus with goals flying in all directions including the wrong one.

The Rule That Broke Football Logic

First, blame the tournament organizers. They introduced a “fun twist” that turned out to be pure chaos fuel.

The rule? If a match went to extra time, the first goal (the golden goal) would count as two. Yes, not one but TWO goals for one strike.

Now Barbados, needing to win by two goals to qualify, found themselves up 2–1 in the 83rd minute. One problem: that’s not a two-goal margin.

Cue the Madness: Let’s Score on Ourselves

In a move that belongs in a football-themed sitcom, Barbados did the unthinkable, they scored an intentional own goal to tie it at 2–2. Why? Because they realized that if they could push the game to extra time, the golden goal would gift them an automatic two-goal margin.

Smart? Yes. Legal? Technically. Absolutely bonkers? Without a doubt.

Grenada Realizes the Plot and Joins the Madness

But wait, it gets even weirder.

Once Grenada figured out Barbados’ plan, they tried to sabotage it by scoring in either goal, their own or Barbados’. Yup, in a reverse UNO card move, Grenada started attacking both ends, hoping for any result that didn’t end 2–2 and go to extra time.

So what did Barbados do? They defended both goals. Literally. Their defenders were split, trying to stop Grenada from scoring at either end.

No, this isn’t a fever dream. This actually happened.

Extra Time: The Golden Goal That Was Worth Two

The match, somehow, made it to extra time. And just like they scripted it in their wildest dreams, Barbados scored the golden goal.

Final score: 4–2, thanks to the magic (and madness) of that double-counted strike.

Mission complete. Chaos achieved. Qualification secured.

Aftermath: Football Laws Changed Forever

Grenada were furious. Neutral fans were confused. FIFA did a double take. And the tournament organizers? They quietly scrapped the golden goal = two goals rule.

But by then, the damage (and comedy) was done.

This game remains one of the most ridiculous examples of rule exploitation in football history, where a team had to defend both goals and winning involved scoring on themselves. It’s the football equivalent of flipping the chessboard and still being crowned champion.

Also read- Chile vs Argentina: Messi and Co. To Face Gareca’s Men In World Cup Qualifiers

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