The flight was waiting, Fulham left: The most bizarre friendly match of the summer
After a 2:2 draw against Malaga, the English refused to participate in the penalty shootout for fear of missing their flight. Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off and the locals celebrated the win wildly.
The friendly match between Malaga and Fulham as part of the 36th edition of the Costa del Sol Trophy ended this evening (Wednesday) in a highly unusual manner. After a 2:2 draw at the end of 90 minutes, the English team refused to participate in the penalty shootout that was supposed to determine the winner, and Malaga was declared the winner of the tournament.
The match itself was fast-paced and back-and-forth. Fulham was better at the start and took the lead in the 24th minute, before Malaga returned to the game and equalized before halftime. In the second half, the English took the lead again, and it seemed they were on their way to victory, but in the 90th minute, a penalty was awarded to Malaga following a handball in the box. Anco Haurie converted from the spot and set a dramatic 2:2.
Immediately after the final whistle, confusion began. The Fulham players and coaching staff held lengthy discussions with the officiating crew and tried to understand how the match would be decided. According to reports in Spain, the English team claimed that a penalty shootout did not appear at all in the terms agreed upon in advance in the match contract.
In addition, Fulham claimed that extending the event could have affected the team's schedule and caused them to miss their scheduled flight. Ultimately, the English decided not to take the deciding kicks and left the pitch, a decision that drew boos from the crowd at La Rosaleda.
The tension was felt even earlier, when Fulham coach Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off after an argument with the referee. According to local media, the Spanish coach protested the officiating decisions, and by the end of the evening, the entire event had become one of the most bizarre scenes seen in the long-standing friendly tournament.
Malaga, which played in front of 17,179 spectators, was finally declared the cup holder and celebrated wildly without being required to actually complete a penalty shootout. In Spain, Fulham's conduct was described as "unprecedented" and even as a "lack of respect" for the tournament, while the English for their part insisted that penalties were not part of the original agreement.
