NICOSIA’S GSP stadium transformed into a combat zone on Sunday afternoon as rival football fans clashed in a league match that was otherwise of no consequence to the title.
Nine people were injured in the scuffles and were treated by stadium physicians. One person suffering a blow to the head was rushed to Nicosia general hospital for surgery; his condition is now stable. Six youths were arrested during the violence, of whom two 19-year-olds and a 20-year-old were charged and released.
Police made heavy use of tear gas as supporters of both teams fought pitched battles inside but mostly outside the stadium’s grounds, both during and after the game between the two Nicosia powerhouses APOEL and Omonia.
APOEL have already mathematically clinched the title.
Trouble was brewing even before the referee blew his whistle, as a band of hooligans stormed through the gates of the northern tier – reserved for Omonia fans – looking to pick a fight.
The atmosphere inside was already at boiling point as the game kicked off, but the situation quickly deteriorated after visitors Omonia scored the first goal. Fans from both teams began hurling smoke bombs and firecrackers onto the field.
Referee Panicos Andronikou and his assistants made their way to the centre of the pitch and waited a few minutes for the excitement to die down. When the Omonia goalkeeper was struck by a firecracker, the man in black took his assistants and headed for the tunnel. Club officials persuaded Andronikou to resume the match.
The same back-and-forth scenario was repeated when Omonia scored a second goal. Andronikou finally had enough and called the game off when a loud firecracker exploded at the intersection of two stands. The incident occurred seconds after the fourth assistant had raised the board to indicate 23 minutes of added time – quite possibly a world record for a professional football match.
With the match over, rival fans clashed at the parking lot outside the stadium, as police tear-gassed the troublemakers, some of whom defiantly set fire to shrubs in retreat.
In the madness, a group of APOEL supporters reportedly made their way to the northern tier and attacked around six young girls who had stayed behind.
Meanwhile trouble spilled over on to Limassol Avenue leading into central Nicosia, forcing police to briefly close the road.
The game ended at 2-0 to Omonia, who had twice lost to APOEL during the regular season. It is now up to the FA to decide whether the score stands and award the three points to the visitors.
In his match report, the referee noted that the game was interrupted because of crowd trouble, leaving it up to the FA’s disciplinary body to decide any sanctions. Both clubs could face hefty fines and a home ground ban.
In a sign of disapproval, neither team’s coach turned up at the post-match news conference. As always, officials from both clubs meanwhile denounced the troubles, with APOEL club chairman Fivos Erotokritou remarking: “Under these conditions, it’s not worth being in football.”
