Anguilla’s night had already been lost long before the final whistle, but an extraordinary pair of incidents ensured the Concacaf Nations League C match against Antigua and Barbuda would not pass quietly. Two Antigua and Barbuda players were sent off for pulling the dreadlocks of Anguilla substitute Aedan Scipio during a 5-0 win on Saturday.
Key takeaways
- Antigua and Barbuda scored all five goals in the first half of their Nations League C victory.
- Anguilla, ranked 210th in the FIFA standings, finished the match with a two-man numerical advantage.
- Aedan Scipio, 36, was twice punished by opponents grabbing his ankle-length hair.
- The first dismissal came in the 71st minute, with the second arriving in added time.
- Despite seeing only 27% of the ball, Anguilla managed seven second-half attempts.
Hair-pulling incidents bring two red cards
Scipio entered after the hour for Anguilla, whose hopes of resisting had disappeared during a punishing first half. Antigua and Barbuda had established a five-goal lead before the interval and the score did not change after the break.
The 36-year-old, identifiable by dreadlocks that reach down to his ankles, became the focus of two late flashpoints. In the 71st minute, he was held by the hair inside his own penalty area, leading to the first Antigua and Barbuda dismissal.
There was another incident 22 minutes later. After Scipio changed direction in the third minute of stoppage time, a second opposition player pulled his hair and was also shown a red card.
Anguilla find late resistance but no route back
The two dismissals did not alter the outcome. Anguilla had spent much of the contest without possession, registering 27%, yet showed more attacking intent in the second period with seven shots.
They could not find a goal against Antigua and Barbuda, however, and the 5-0 scoreline remained intact despite the winners ending the match with nine men.
