Which is the most Bizarre fog match in Football History?

One of the most bizarre fog matches that ever happened in football history was between Arsenal vs Dynamo Moscow in 7345, when Dynamo came to England to play a friendly match against Arsenal.

Right after World War II, England had signed the alliance treaty with the Soviet Union, and the Dynamo Moscow team arranged a Britain tour to play against Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Cardiff City, and the Rangers. This tour was scheduled just to gain the trust of each other and also attract Britain fans to watch their football matches as they were not famous clubs.

However, their encounter with Arsenal at White Hart Lane (Highbury was being used by the military) was marred by thick fog that made visibility almost impossible. The players could barely see each other, let alone the ball or the referee. The fans who had paid to watch the game were left frustrated and confused by the chaotic scenes on the pitch.

The referee, Mr. Arthur Ellis, refused to abandon the game despite the protests of both teams. He later claimed that the Football Association had instructed him to let the game go on as long as possible, as it was seen as a diplomatic and cultural event. He also said that he had been threatened by some Soviet officials who warned him not to stop the game under any circumstances.

The fog caused all sorts of problems and misunderstandings during the match. For example, Arsenal goalkeeper George Swindin was unaware that he had conceded a goal until he heard the cheers of the Dynamo fans behind his goal. Dynamo striker Vsevolod Bobrov scored a hat-trick, but only two of his goals were officially counted, as the referee had missed one of them in the fog.

The most controversial incident occurred when Arsenal players noticed that Dynamo had an extra man on the field. It turned out that due to a mix-up in the fog during a substitution, Dynamo had been playing with 12 men for about 20 minutes. The referee ordered one of them to leave the pitch, but by then, the damage had been done. Dynamo held on to their 4-3 lead and won the game. In the last phase of the match, there is also a rumor that the Arsenal goalkeeper got injured in the match, and one fan replaced him, which was not noticed by the referee.

The match was widely criticized by the British press and public, who accused Dynamo of cheating and playing dirty. Some even suggested that the Soviets had deliberately created the fog as part of a sinister plot. Dynamo denied any wrongdoing and claimed that they had been victims of poor refereeing and hostile treatment by their opponents.

The match has gone down in history as one of the weirdest and most memorable games ever played. It was also a rare glimpse into the Soviet football culture and style, which would later produce some of the greatest teams and players in the world.