(NEXSTAR) – Soccer officials in Sierra Leone have launched an investigation into two recent, eye-popping final scores they called “impractical” in a news release Monday.
Since five or six goals in a 90-minute soccer match might be considered a high-scoring affair, dozens of scores will inevitably raise suspicions of match-fixing.
That’s exactly what happened when Eastern Regional Super 10 League’s Gulf FC trounced Koquima Lebanon by a final score of 91-1, second only to Kahunla’s absolute thrashing of Lumbebu United, 95-0.
Even more improbably, the scores at halftime were 7-1 and 2-0, respectively, according to BBC Sport Africa.
Leading up to the onslaught of goals, Gulf FC and Kahunla had been battling for the last remaining place in the league and a chance to qualify for the Premier League Playoff. The two teams were tied when it came to points allotted for wins and ties, and the BBC reports that it became clear that the better goal differential would wind up being the deciding factor.
“We can’t stand by and see an embarrassing situation like this go unpunished,” Sierra Leone Football Association President Thomas Daddy Brima told the BBC. “We’re going to launch an immediate investigation and bring to book all those responsible for this mediocrity.”
The SLFA said in a statement that it has “zero tolerance” for match manipulation and vowed a thorough investigation.
If officials deem the results valid, the two scores would be among the highest ever recorded. The most lopsided result to date is thought to have occurred in October 2002 when Madagascar club team SO l’Emyrne scored a Guinness Record 149 own goals, giving AS Adema a 149-0 victory. The SO l’Emyrne players apparently scored on themselves repeatedly in protest of refereeing decisions, according to Reuters.