Virus-hit Portuguese team plays soccer with 9 men

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portuguese club Belenenses has started a match against Benfica with just nine players after an outbreak of coronavirus in its squad. Saturday’s Portuguese league game was not called off by authorities. Playing with two fewer players, Belenenses was soon trailing 7-0 by halftime. The laws of soccer allow for games to be played as long as each team has seven players. Club president Rui Pedro Soares says that despite having a decimated squad his club did not ask for the game to be postponed.