PLAYER FACES SACK FOR STICKING OPPONENT
An Argentine fourth division player is facing the sack after admitting that he poked an opponent with a needle during his team's shock cup win over top tier Estudiantes. Federico Allende, who plays for Sport Club Pacifico in the Federal B championship, said his behaviour was inspired by former Argentine coach Carlos Bilardo, who was reputed to have meted out similar treatment to opponents. Allende was marking Estudiantes forward Juan Otero for most of the Copa Argentina match and said that he nipped his rival several times. "I had to turn to the great Bilardo," Allende said in a radio interview. "The poor guy (Otero), it did his head in. We know we had to make the game dirty because top division players don't like it. He must have hated me, BUT that's football." Otero confirmed that he was poked four times and that he told the referee, who took no action. "I know it was the game of his life, but it's still just a football match," he said.
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