Euro 2016

[monks data]

European Championship | Qualifiers

Mar 27, 2015 at 7.45pm UK

Montenegro
0-3
Russia

Reaction

Football

Montenegro, Russia game postponed

By Joe Sharratt, Reporter

Published: March 27 2015 | 22:30

Last updated: March 28 2015 | 16:08

Montenegro's Euro 2016 qualifier with Russia is abandoned after incidents of crowd trouble and an on-the-field melee between players.

Russia's Euro 2016 Group G qualifier with Montenegro in Podgorica has been abandoned amid scenes of crowd trouble and clashes between players on the pitch.

Just seconds after kickoff, Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was struck in the head by a flare thrown from the stands behind him.

Akinfeev received treatment for several minutes on the pitch, before being stretchered off and taken to hospital.

German referee Deniz Aytekin took the players off the pitch, prompting a delay while a decision was made over whether or not play would resume.

Both sides emerged from their dressing rooms half an hour later, with Yuri Lodigin replacing Akinfeev in the Russian goal, and the game got back underway.

The remainder of the half was played in a vitriolic atmosphere, and half time was extended by 15 minutes as both sides were reportedly given safety advice.

However, it seemed a result might still be possible, until Russia were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark that was missed by Roman Shirokov, prompting a huge melee on the touchline.

With crowd trouble reportedly continuing in the stands, Aytekin made the decision to abandon the game.