Universitario given 3-0 win over short-handed Bolivar
Reuters - Saturday 12 May 2012, 19:18
May 12 (Reuters) - Universitario have been awarded a 3-0
victory against Bolivar a fter Thursday's Bolivian league match
was abandoned with the visitors down to six men.
"The rules state that the result is 3-0 in favor of the team
that is complete (in numbers)," Bolivian league (LNFP) official
Felipe Rodriguez was quoted by the daily El Diario as telling
reporters on Saturday.
While Bolivar's first choice team were being hammered 8-0
by Santos in the Libertadores Cup that night, they had only
seven players available for the Clausura championship match with
Universitario which they had failed to rearrange.
Bolivar's youth team, who could have filled some positions,
already had another commitment in Cochabamba 450km away.
Thursday's match was abandoned after less than 10 minutes
when a Bolivar player was injured and they no longer had the
requisite minimum seven players on the pitch, sparking anger
from fans demanding their money back.
"The league, knowing Bolivar were in the Libertadores Cup,
didn't want to modify the day of the match, but that's the crude
reality of Bolivian football and here's proof of that," said
Nery Quintana of Bolivar's coaching staff.
Bolivar took a 2-1 first leg lead to Brazil but ended up
losing their last-16 tie 9-2 on aggregate to Libertadores Cup
holders Santos.
The points gained by Universitario will not affect the
outcome of the championship on the final day on Sunday because
they are four points behind leaders San Jose.
(Reporting by Rex Gowar; editing by Tony Jimenez)