A derby match descended into chaos as fans stormed the pitch with smoke bombs, forcing the match to be abandoned just seconds before the final whistle
A heated football derby in Czechia has descended into chaos as a massive pitch invasion forced the game to be abandoned in scenes resembling a war zone. The match between fierce city rivals Slavia Prague and Sparta Prague turned into mayhem when hundreds of home supporters stormed the field during the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Slavia Prague were leading their rivals 3-2 and were reportedly just seconds away from clinching the league title when the stands at the Eden Stadium emptied.
The sudden surge of fans, many of whom were armed with smoke bombs, left the stadium engulfed in a hazy cloud of pyrotechnics as the situation spiralled out of control.
One shocking image showed goalkeeper Jakub Surovcik seemingly being hit in the face with a flare – before he fell to the ground.
The referee, Karel Roucek, had no choice but to halt the game before eventually calling it off entirely as the pitch became a battleground.
The mindless violence was condemned by those watching. Oneplay Sport expert Zdenek Folprecht fumed in the studio: “It’s a disgrace.”
Even the Slavia fans who stayed in the stands turned on the rioters, booing the pitch invaders and chanting insults.
Fearing for their safety, the Sparta squad refused to return to the pitch, boarding their team bus and fleeing the stadium immediately.
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