In one of the more bizarre sights to ever occur in the Champions Leauge, Belgian club Anderlecht – current home of US international Sacha Kljestan – lost a penalty shootout due to the shoddy condition of their own pitch.
After Anderlecht came back from a 2-0 deficit against visiting Serbian side Partizan, the match proceeded to a shootout (the two clubs were tied 2-2 on aggregate). Inexplicably, three Anderlecht players skied their efforts over the crossbar when they lost their footing right as they struck the ball.
Kljestan did not make the matchday squad and his club’s loss means Maurice Edu and Oguchi Onyewu – suiting up for Rangers and AC Milan, respectively – will be the only Americans in the Champions League group stage.
Edit: Jermain Jones and Schalke 04 will also participate in the group stage.
