Coronavirus: German team socially distances by fielding seven players, beaten 37-0

[JonLP24]

German lower-league side SG Ripdorf/Molzen II suffered a 37-0 defeat on Sunday after only fielding seven players in a bid to maintain social distancing against their opponents as they feared contracting the coronavirus.

SG Ripdorf/Molzen, from the city of Uelzen in the state of Lower Saxony faced their city rivals SV Holdenstedt II in the 3. Kreisklasse, one of the lowest leagues in the German system.

In a previous match, Holdenstedt II players had been in contact with an opponent infected with the coronavirus during a previous match. While the squad later tested negative for the virus, the Ripdorf players did not feel safe due to the 14-day infection period.

"We tried to postpone the match," Ripdorf co-chair Patrick Ristow told ESPN. "But Holdenstedt wanted to play."

https://www.espn.com/soccer/german-bundesliga/story/4183145/coronavirus-german-team-socially-distancesbeaten-37-0?platform=amp

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Well, they're still winners in my book. Good for them.

[Auggie]

2. Brings back memories of football in the backyard for some reason

We weren't social distancing, just short of players. Four kids could play a game of tackle or touch football. Center snaps the ball and runs the route. One defender counts "three Mississippi" before rushing the QB as the second defender covers the center. Fun times. Anyone else do this?

[JonLP24]

3. I played a lot of disorganized football

I wasn't that good at organized football. A player that later went to UNLV showed me on the field I wasn't good enough to play the game but I was really good at catching the ball in backyard football.

I wish I knew what I know now about sports strategy as a teen, that would have helped out a lot.