The English football has experienced a curious cup evening. Third division side Burton Albion has reached the knockout round of the English League Cup after a game of chaotic conditions and an extremely long stoppage of 28 minutes. The Burton upon Trent team north of Birmingham defeated Premier League club AFC Bournemouth 2-0 (1-0) on Wednesday. It fell out three times during the game the floodlight. The game was about to be demolished. In the end, however, the outsider cheered.
In the 53rd, 64th and 76th Minute, it was suddenly dark at the Pirelli Stadium for several minutes. Later, a power problem throughout the region was identified as a cause. After the third flood failure, referee John Busby was about to abandon the game. However, that was not allowed by the statutes of the Football League. Burton Albion coach Nigel Clough later reported what had happened on the sidelines: "At first, we got conflicting information, it was the Football League that said a game must be stopped for at least 30 minutes before being canceled."
"On, off, on, off, I have not experienced that yet."
That was not it. So the match started again - and Burton Albion, who sensationally made it to the semi-finals of the League Cup last season (and lost there in the first leg 9-0 against the later Cup winner Manchester City), won thanks to the goals of Oliver Sarkic ( 14.) and Nathan Broadhead (72.). I did not experience that, but it was a problem nobody could control, "said Clough. "I'm just glad we could finish the game."
REUTERS
The Pirelli Stadium of Burton Albion in the game against AFC Bournemouth
In case of a break there would have been a replay.
Bournemoth coach Eddie Howe did not want to use the floodlights as an excuse for his team's defeat: "It was a strange situation, I've never seen anything like it before, but we have to congratulate Burton for winning well," he said , "We did not play as we can."
Burton Albion will meet in the second round on 29.10. on Leicester City.
