Interesting to hear on Fox Sports today that the FFA said that had the abandoned Gold Coast United v Central Coast Mariners game gone to half time the result would have stood.
Having visited the FFA website to look for the rules of the A league I have been unable to locate any document that states that this is the case.
Usually in most cases – crowd violence being an exception – when a game is abandoned before the 90 minutes it is replayed. In the case of crowd violence or disturbance the team deemed responsible forfeits with a 3-0 loss.
On other occasions teams have been called back to finish the game. One example being when Real Madrid had a game abandoned against Real Sociedad in 2004 due to a bomb scare. The score was 1-1 and they returned later in the season to play the last 7 minutes.
One of the famous abandoned matches that was replayed and the goals scored were wiped off the records was back in 1961 when Denis Law scored six goals against Luton Town, to give Machester City a 6-2 lead in the fourth round of the FA Cup. At the 69 minute mark, referee Ken Tuck abandoned the game. A replay was ordered Law scored again but Luton won 2-1, and Law’s seven goals in a losing cup tie have become part of legend.
There are no rules in FIFA in relation to whether a game should be replayed, or the result should stand as these fall under the rules of competition. These are set by each nations governing body.
It would be nice for the FFA to now publish a ruling so that all media, players and coaches are aware of the situation should a game in the A league have to be abandoned again.
I susuepct there was strong liaison between the two, but cannot comment.
It would be good to know what the rules are though about such situations.
Surely you can’t be surprised? FFA haven’t a clue, and Fox would have been dictating that the game be played. They don’t want replays as it costs them money.