On January 27, 1994, the national football teams of Barbados and Grenada faced off in a qualifying match for the Caribbean Cup. Barbados emerged victorious with a 4-2 win in extra time, and the match gained notoriety for its peculiar events in the closing minutes of regular time, where both teams attempted deliberate own goals.
A unique twist was added to the tournament rules regarding the golden goal: the first goal scored in extra time would not only secure the victory but also count as two goals.
To progress to the final tournament, Barbados needed a win with a margin of at least two goals. Although Barbados initially led 2-0, Grenada managed to score in the 83rd minute, narrowing the gap to 2-1 – a result insufficient for Barbados.
The intriguing part unfolded when a Barbados player intentionally scored an own goal, leveling the score at 2-2 and pushing the game into extra time. This strategic move allowed Barbados to exploit the golden goal rule and achieve the required two-goal difference.
This led to an even more unconventional scenario: in the last three minutes of the match, Grenada attempted to score in both goals. Either outcome – 3-2 or 2-3 – would have qualified them for the final, while Barbados defended both ends.
In the end, Barbados successfully navigated the match into extra time, where they secured victory with a golden goal, concluding the game with a 4-2 score.
Despite Grenada’s coach, James Clarkson, expressing frustration over what he deemed an unfair outcome, FIFA, noting no rule violations, absolved Barbados from any responsibility.
In the final analysis, while FIFA refrained from intervention, fate played its part – Barbados ended up in third place in Group A of the final tournament, trailing behind Trinidad and Tobago and Guadeloupe, resulting in an early exit from the competition.
