A preseason match between English Premier League side Fulham and Spanish club Malaga ended in controversy when the visitors abandoned the field before a penalty shootout was scheduled to take place. The friendly encounter in Malaga remained level at 2-2 after Malaga equalized in the 90th minute during the Trofeo Costa del Sol competition. A dispute erupted over whether a penalty shootout had been agreed upon prior to kickoff, with Fulham claiming no such arrangement existed in their pre-match agreement.
Fulham’s manager Alvaro Arbeloa, the former Real Madrid coach, was shown a red card for his heated protests directed at the match officials. The English club subsequently departed the pitch in protest, while Malaga remained and converted an unopposed penalty to claim the trophy. Fulham later issued a statement on social media confirming that both teams had agreed beforehand that no penalty shootout would occur if the match ended in a draw.
The incident mirrors a controversial moment from January’s Africa Cup of Nations final, when Senegal walked off the pitch in protest after Morocco was awarded a penalty. That match eventually resumed, with Morocco missing the disputed spot kick before Senegal ultimately prevailed in the subsequent penalty shootout. However, the Confederation of African Football later annulled Senegal’s title following Morocco’s appeal, with the case currently pending at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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