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Portugal league match abandoned as COVID outbreak reduces Belenenses to nine players, two keepers

Benfica's Primeira Liga match at Belenenses on Saturday was abandoned amid extraordinary scenes after their COVID-hit opponents were forced to name a team of nine players, including two goalkeepers.

Benfica took advantage of their numerical superiority to rack up seven goals by half-time before Belenenses returned with only seven players for the second period.

The match was then called off two minutes after the break when Joao Monteiro, a goalkeeper playing in midfield, sat down on the ground unable to continue, forcing the referee to abandon the game which requires a minimum of seven players.