Ref forces match to be played on half-flooded pitch in Brazil

Football was ordered to mate with water polo last weekend on a partly flooded pitch in Brazil and the result was a grotesque and goofy abomination of a match. With a large section of the pitch at the Estadio Jair Bittencourt near Rio submerged in murky, almost knee-deep flood water, the referee decided to go ahead with the Carioca Championship Serie B match between Itaperuna and Aperibeense anyway. And what reason could possibly justify playing in such unplayable conditions? Well, there were dates available to play it later.

So, the teams played -- splashing through the water as the ball floated around. They somehow made it through the entire 90 minutes and even had a goal, giving Itaperuna a 1-0 win. A win that is now being challenged by a very upset Aperibeense director of football, who says his players were left scratching and had to take alcohol baths because that rain water had mixed with overflow from the streets and sewers. Yum.