Italian youth teams replay match which ended 31-0

MILAN (Reuters) – Italian youth teams Ponte Ronca and Persiceto 85 have replayed a match which ended 31-0 three weeks ago after the result was annulled because the referee blew for time several minutes early to save the home side further embarrassment.

Persiceto ran out 9-1 winners in Wednesday’s rematch of an under-14 championship tie, which attracted a television crew in the wake of the publicity that followed the first meeting.

Thursday’s Gazzetta dello Sport also carried a full report of the game.

The teams, playing in the Bologna provincial youth league, first met on Oct. 4 when the referee finished the game several minutes before the regulation 70 were up to spare Ponte Ronca further punishment.

However, 10 days later an Italian Football Federation committee over-ruled the referee, who was suspended, and ordered a replay.

“My lads played with their hearts,” Ponte Ronca coach Arturo Ginosa told the Gazzetta. “I didn’t expect them to do this well, and I didn’t think we would score a goal. We knew the 31-0 scoreline did not do us justice but we had to prove it.”

(Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)