Greek side Atromitos, managed by Chris Coleman, had to dig a trench on one of the goal lines after a set of goalposts was identified as being too small for their game against Super League Greece leaders AEK Athens on Sunday 5 February.
After AEK Athens flagged a potential issue with the goals, officials recorded two different heights for each set of goalposts. Using tape measures at Atromitos' Peristeri Stadium, officials subsequently postponed the fixture due to the differing heights.
However, Atromitos' ground staff tried their best to fulfil the fixture by digging a trench on the goal line of the smaller goalpost. It was then filled in in an attempt to add the required height, but, after 30 minutes, the issue could not be resolved for the game to start.
Chris Coleman's wife, Charlotte, claimed the goal was only one centimetre too small, tweeting: "Atromitos V AEK Athens game cancelled for 1 goal allegedly being 1 cm out after AEK person decided to take a measuring tape to it for no reason on the muddy wet patch on a stormy night in Peristeri."
Check your sources Charlotte. The goal was 5 to 7cm shorter so Atromitos did this on the #AEKfc goal line to try and remedy the situation 😂I’ve seen Sunday league pitches better than this. As a top flight game with big implications it was fully justified being cancelled. pic.twitter.com/k2UylJKTvJFebruary 5, 2023
However, according to one fan, the goal was actually 5-7cm shorter than regulation for Atromitos' game against AEK Athens.
A Greek sports court will now decide whether the game will be rescheduled, or whether AEK Athens receive all three points.
Being awarded all three points would see AEK Athens leapfrog Panathinaikos at the top of the table as they aim to win their first league title since 2018. Atromitos are currently seventh of 14 teams in the Super League Greece.
Chris Coleman took over the side in January 2022, following an extended period out of the game. The last club he managed prior to Atromitos was Hebei China Fortune, where he lasted less than a year.
Goalposts being the wrong size isn't the first time this has happened in football, though. Earlier this season, Wigan's goal was two inches bigger than the permitted eight feet in a match against Cardiff, but the game was still played as the Welsh side ran out 3-1 winners.
Hull City and Birmingham City also saw a similar thing happen, with part of the goalpost sawn off in order to make them the correct height.
