Montenegro-Russia abandoned after scuffle

Soccerway ^ | 27 March 2015 | Soccerway

[BeadCounter]

Russia's Euro 2016 qualifier in Montenegro was abandoned after multiple violent incidents in Podgorica on Friday.

Just seconds in, Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was struck in the back of the head by a flare thrown from the stands at Stadion pod Goricom.

While the teams played on, a second incident during the second half led to the abandonment.

Roman Shirokov had a penalty saved by Montenegro goalkeeper Vukasin Poleksic in the 66th minute.

The ball went out for a throw-in, which Dmitri Kombarov went over to take – only to refuse to when he appeared to be struck by an object thrown from the stands.

That led to several scuffles on and off the pitch, with the encounter called off after 67 minutes when the score was 0-0 as Russia left the pitch.

Earlier, Akinfeev was stretchered from the ground and his injury led to a 30-minute delay.

[BeadCounter]

Really upsets me, Croatia, Turkey, Serbia and now Montenegro seem to be where these things happen nowadays.

This is Igor Akinfeev when he was targeted with a laser from the stands last summer at the World Cup in Brazil, this time in Montenegro, he got knocked in the back of the head with a flare. It seems he is having a string of bad luck.

Per the BBC with pictures, the goalkeeper was taken to the hospital in a neckbrace BUT thankfully, there seems to be no major injuries though he will be under observation for a few hours.

This display of bad sportsmanship from Montenegro fans is unacceptable. Surely, the game result should be given to Russia and Montenegro penalized in some way.

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Per the source, Soccerway, they do seem to use a number of sources and then compile a story. No author is listed per se.

Maybe Berlin Freeper or other will post a soccer thread, many games today and in the next few days.

Feel free to discuss any soccer news here and yes, a good story for detractors to voice their dismay. Have at it. Everyone be civil.

[vladimir998]

“This display of bad sportsmanship from Montenegro fans is unacceptable. Surely, the game result should be given to Russia and Montenegro penalized in some way.”

I agree. Russia should get the win and Montenegro should be banned from international play for a decade. It would NEVER happen again.

[BeadCounter]

Soccer Ping: Forgive me for forgetting anyone. Forgive me for putting anyone on the list if you don’t want to be on it. And forgive me for any emotional ranting per last year’s World Cup! :)

Soccerway’s new graphics following the game, pretty nifty:

http://us.soccerway.com/matches/2015/03/28/europe/european-championship-qualification/kazakhstan/iceland/1653256/?ICID=HP_MS_01_01 Shows attacks, free kicks, throw-ins and who knows what more.

Kazakhstan 0 2 Iceland

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Per this Russian Montenegro game, I have been staying away from posting photos of the goalkeeper to be stretchered off since this thread hasn’t gained a lot of interest. One can find the pictures for themselves.

This is outrageous, what if the flare had hit the goalkeeper in the face?

What if the flare had been aimed at our American goalkeeper? I’d be very upset.

Yes, and the funny-line, whoever shot the flare was a good shot.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/montenegro-russia-qualifier-abandoned-brawl-234410782—sow.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/montenegro-russia-qualifier-abandoned-brawl-234410782—sow.html

Later, Israel Wales in Israel, that sounds like it could be good.

[BeadCounter]

Ping:

Oh, and the ESPNFC link: http://www.espnfc.com/european-championship-qualifying/story/2369372/montenegro-russia-abandonment-uefa-to-await-full-reports

[dfwgator]

I'm surprised Putin didn't have him sent to Siberia after this howler in the World Cup.

[BeadCounter]

Soccer Ping; I thought you might be on it.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3215149/posts

Per this other thread above “Serbia v Albania Abandoned Following Mass Brawl (Euro Soccer Qualifier)”

This that happened in Montenegro seems to be the 3rd major disturbance in a game involving teams from the Former Yugoslavia. I hope they can catch who did it or find out why a flare would actually hit the goalkeeper.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3015247/Russia-vs-Montenegro-game-suspended-keeper-Igor-Akinfeev-struck-flare.html

Daily Mail as often gets some of the best photos.

[GeronL]

Can you aim a flare?

[BeadCounter]

Can you aim a flare?

Not with much accuracy I'd think. It seems kind of like a bottle-rocket in this case. A somewhat nutty story, how could they hit him in the back this way with just a flare?

[GeronL]

Did they find out where it came from?

[dfwgator]

There’s a reason that Bismarck said that the Balkans wasn’t worth the bones of a single Pomeranian Grenadier.

[Ivan Mazepa]

Some sites are reporting that the fan in the stands who hit the Russian goalie was a Ukrainian but there hasn’t been a definive confirmation.

[BeadCounter]

Did they find out where it came from?

No. A lot of pictures are out there. I have no idea how this could turn out. A lot of the fans look civil. Maybe the stadium will have enough Close Circuit TV to determine who did it, I'd bet at a stadium in England, they could generally be able to trace these types down. Perhaps it might take a few weeks from some grainy footage and asking for help from the public.

[BeadCounter]

International matches should not ever have these “flares” or pyro-technics around.

When Fulham England hosted Wisla Krakow a few years ago, a lot of smoke, not really flares here but I remember reading about this game. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2057240/Fulham-4-Wisla-Krakow-1-Johnson-double-proves-Cottagers-Poles-apart.html

[BeadCounter]

Whatever one defines the Balkans as, they have had a lot of great teams and a lot of great players.

Romania, Greece, the proper Former Republic of Yugoslavia.

A lot of good teams.

[BeadCounter]

Israel 0 3 Wales.

What a great game by Wales, Aaron Ramsey, 1 goal, Gareth Bale, 2 goals. In spite of the area of the world, soccer in Israel is often a great spectacle, the pageantry before such a game.

This win by Wales, DFWgator puts Wales on top, Belgium are in the group too and before today, had played only 3 games, Israel will continue to be a factor despite this loss.

See group B: http://uk.soccerway.com/international/europe/european-championship-qualification/2016-france/qualifying-round/r24218/ Top 2 teams automatically qualify for the next Euro in France, which is why France is not in the qualifying. I think I have all of this correct.

Tomorrow, Poland at Ireland, the new minnow Gibraltar at Scotland. Some other good fixtures on tap as well.

[GeronL]

Going through he video, seat by seat, must be boring.

Section A, back row - 3 couples making out, guy mooning camera, purse theft in progress...

[dfwgator]

When Fulham England hosted Wisla Krakow

I saw a show that said that the Krakow derby between Wisla and Cracovia is the most violent of any in Europe.

[dfwgator]

I watched the Bulgaria-Italy match, ended 2-2 with Italy scoring late.

But the Italians are definitely a shadow of what they were.

[BeadCounter]

When Wisla Krakow played at Fulham (Craven Cottage), the smoke was caused by the flares on my prior post, so I got the details wrong.

But anyway, I see the Daily Mail already is running another story on what happened in Montenegro: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3015247/Russia-vs-Montenegro-game-suspended-keeper-Igor-Akinfeev-struck-flare.html

We’ll see, the daily mail says “Shocking footage from stands of fan throwing flare at Akinfeev” in a video about a 3rd down the page. So, the flare was probably thrown and from right behind the net. Not a very good video but maybe they’ll get enough info through other ways to find the guy.

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Polish hooliganism seems to have gone down a little but what do I know, I don’t live there. Greece’s Panathinaikos and AEK is suppose to be another big rivalry.

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/world-football-panathinaikos-edge-aek-athens-derby-203935991.html

Picture: http://www.ultrasathens.gr/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PANATHINAIKOS-aek_06.jpg

I’ve never liked the ideas of flares at a game.

[dfwgator]

I’ve never liked the ideas of flares at a game

How there haven't been more incidents like the Bradford City fire is beyond me with those flares.