Crowd trouble mars Italy's Euro qualifier
Source: Agencies |
October 14, 2010, Thursday
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CROWD trouble in Genoa cast a shadow over the Euro 2012 qualifiers when Italy's match with Serbia was abandoned while Spain, Germany and Netherlands all maintained their perfect starts on Tuesday.
Only six minutes of Italy's Group C game had been played in the Mediterranean port city before flare-throwing Serbian fans forced Scottish referee Craig Thomson to lead the players from the pitch. The kickoff had already been delayed by 35 minutes.
Serbia's goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic pulled out of the match on the way to the stadium after apparently being abused by his own supporters while Italian fans booed the Serbian national anthem before kickoff in an increasingly hostile atmosphere.
Serbia goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic was nearly hit by one of the flares thrown onto the pitch when the game started.
"The referee felt that the players' security couldn't be assured. Now it's up to UEFA and their disciplinary procedures," Italian football federation general secretary Antonello Valentini said.
World and European champion Spain was cruising against Scotland after David Villa and Andreas Iniesta scored either side of the break in its Group I game but the Scots hit back to equalize before Fernando Llorente won it for the visitors.
Villa's goal, a penalty, was his 44th for his country and put him level with Spain's record scorer Raul.
"They fought until the last minute," Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque said of Scotland. "We managed to convert our chances but the comeback was down to pure hard work on their part."
Like Spain, Netherlands maintained its 100 percent record with an impressive 4-1 win over Sweden in Group E. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay both scored twice for the Dutch who have a three-point lead at the top after four games.
Germany also has maximum points in Group A which it leads by five points after a 3-0 victory in far-flung Kazakhstan. Striker Miroslav Klose took his tally to six in four qualifying games early in the second half after a goalless first period.
France maintained its improvement with a 2-0 Group D victory at home to Luxembourg, its third consecutive win after a shock opening defeat by Belarus.
Guus Hiddink's Turkey was victims of the night's biggest shock as the Euro 2008 semifinalists slumped to a 0-1 defeat in neighboring Azerbaijan. Turkey, expected to be one of Germany's main threats in Group A, completed a miserable few days with the loss in Baku following Friday's 0-3 defeat by Germany.
"The whole nation may be upset and we are upset too," Hiddink said after a result that left Turkey in third place six points behind group leader Germany. "I am very disappointed by the two results. I could live with the first one but this is a huge disappointment."
There was a goal feast in Brussels where Austria's Martin Harnik scored deep in added time to earn his side a 4-4 draw with Belgium and put it second behind Germany in Group A.
Hungary maintained its solid start in Group E with a 2-1 victory in Finland but Northern Ireland, just days after holding 2006 world champion Italy to a 0-0 draw, could only manage a 1-1 stalemate in the Faroe Islands.
Only six minutes of Italy's Group C game had been played in the Mediterranean port city before flare-throwing Serbian fans forced Scottish referee Craig Thomson to lead the players from the pitch. The kickoff had already been delayed by 35 minutes.
Serbia's goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic pulled out of the match on the way to the stadium after apparently being abused by his own supporters while Italian fans booed the Serbian national anthem before kickoff in an increasingly hostile atmosphere.
Serbia goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic was nearly hit by one of the flares thrown onto the pitch when the game started.
"The referee felt that the players' security couldn't be assured. Now it's up to UEFA and their disciplinary procedures," Italian football federation general secretary Antonello Valentini said.
World and European champion Spain was cruising against Scotland after David Villa and Andreas Iniesta scored either side of the break in its Group I game but the Scots hit back to equalize before Fernando Llorente won it for the visitors.
Villa's goal, a penalty, was his 44th for his country and put him level with Spain's record scorer Raul.
"They fought until the last minute," Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque said of Scotland. "We managed to convert our chances but the comeback was down to pure hard work on their part."
Like Spain, Netherlands maintained its 100 percent record with an impressive 4-1 win over Sweden in Group E. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay both scored twice for the Dutch who have a three-point lead at the top after four games.
Germany also has maximum points in Group A which it leads by five points after a 3-0 victory in far-flung Kazakhstan. Striker Miroslav Klose took his tally to six in four qualifying games early in the second half after a goalless first period.
France maintained its improvement with a 2-0 Group D victory at home to Luxembourg, its third consecutive win after a shock opening defeat by Belarus.
Guus Hiddink's Turkey was victims of the night's biggest shock as the Euro 2008 semifinalists slumped to a 0-1 defeat in neighboring Azerbaijan. Turkey, expected to be one of Germany's main threats in Group A, completed a miserable few days with the loss in Baku following Friday's 0-3 defeat by Germany.
"The whole nation may be upset and we are upset too," Hiddink said after a result that left Turkey in third place six points behind group leader Germany. "I am very disappointed by the two results. I could live with the first one but this is a huge disappointment."
There was a goal feast in Brussels where Austria's Martin Harnik scored deep in added time to earn his side a 4-4 draw with Belgium and put it second behind Germany in Group A.
Hungary maintained its solid start in Group E with a 2-1 victory in Finland but Northern Ireland, just days after holding 2006 world champion Italy to a 0-0 draw, could only manage a 1-1 stalemate in the Faroe Islands.
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