River Plate’s Enzo Perez had a night to remember in the Copa Libertadores last night, after a COVID crisis left him playing between the sticks against Santa Fe.
You may recall Enzo Perez from his time with Valencia and the Argentinian National Team. Of course, the former Benfica man was playing as a midfielder back then, and still does ordinarily.
However, there was nothing ordinary about the build-up to last night’s clash between River Plate and Sante Fe.
As reported by the BBC, River Plate had 20 players test positive for coronavirus, while their requests to register their fifth and sixth choice goalkeepers for the contest were rejected.
As a result, Enzo Perez, who was nursing a sore hamstring, was forced to go in goal. While that decision could have preceded disaster, it’s ended up being a football story for the ages.
A COVID-19 outbreak ruled out 20 of River Plate’s players for their Copa Libertadores match against Santa Fe, including all four of their goalkeepers.
They were told to play anyway with no subs and midfielder Enzo Perez in goal.
They won 2-1. Perez was named Man of the Match. pic.twitter.com/TZR17jsIUa
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 20, 2021
Enzo Perez will no doubt be desperate to get back to doing what he does best, and allow Franco Armani to return to the goal upon his return from self-isolation.
He will forever be able to say, though, that he went in goal and finished the contest the victor. What a remarkable tale.
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