The European Championships qualification Group F match between Denmark and Sweden in Copenhagen on Saturday was abandoned in the 90th mniute with the scores level at 3-3.
German referee Herbert Fandel had just awarded a penalty to Sweden and sent off Denmark's Christian Poulsen when a supporter ran on to the pitch and appeared to strike the official.
"The result of the contest will be confirmed following an investigation by the UEFA disciplinary committee upon receipt of the referee and delegate reports," UEFA said.
PHOTO: AFP
Two goals from Johan Elmander and another from Petter Hansson had put Sweden 3-0 up only for Daniel Agger, Jon Dahl Tomasson and Leon Andreasen to draw the home team level.
The Danish soccer fan who tried to attack the referee was released after a court hearing yesterday.
Authorities filed preliminary charges of violence against the man for storming the field and throwing a punch at the referee, police said.
The irate fan was apparently infuriated by Fandel's decision to send off Poulsen and award a penalty to Sweden for the same incident with the score tied at 3-3 and just minutes left to play.
The man, who was not identified by police, was able to get a hand to Fandel's neck before being restrained by Danish players.
"He's been in court this morning and has been released," Copenhagen police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said yesterday, adding investigators would now prepare formal charges against the man.
Danish and Swedish media said the assailant was a 29-year-old Dane who lives in Sweden.
Danish broadcaster DR said the man told the court he regretted his actions but pleaded innocent, saying he couldn't remember the attack. He said he had consumed 15 to 20 beers before storming the field.
Fandel walked off the pitch after the attack and the match was abandoned.
Danish officials initially said Sweden had been awarded a 3-0 forfeit victory. UEFA officials, however, said they needed to see the written reports of Fandel and his team of officials before making a ruling.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
The Canterbury Crusaders edged the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in an intense Super Rugby Pacific final battle in Christchurch yesterday to claim their 15th title in 30 years of the Southern Hemisphere competition. Hooker Codie Taylor scored a try and Rivez Reihana contributed 11 points from the kicking tee as the most dominant team in Super Rugby history extended their perfect home playoff record to 32 successive matches since 1998. The Chiefs, who were looking for a first title since 2013, scored first-half tries through George Dyer and Shaun Stevenson, but were unable to register a point after the break and fell to
RSS