Tel Aviv derby abandoned after fan attacks player on the pitch
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Version 0 of 1. Monday’s Tel Aviv derby descended into chaos and was abandoned at half-time after a supporter invaded the pitch and attacked a player, who was subsequently sent off for retaliating. Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Eran Zahavi equalised against Hapoel Tel Aviv, a team he used to play for, after 22 minutes and was greeted by an opposition fan on the field, who ran up to him and attacked him. Zahavi fought back but was sent off and he promptly ushered his team-mates off the pitch. With more Hapoel fans running amok at Bloomfield Stadium – which both teams share – officials suspended play and while the game did briefly resume, futher invasions prompted the match to be abandoned. The Hapoel manager, Eyal Berkovic, who played for West Ham and Manchester City, and who was pictured arguing with his Maccabi counterpart, Jordi Cruyff, was quoted in the Jerusalem Post as saying: “I’ve been saying for years that local soccer is too much like war. I asked the referee to stop the match. It is about time we understand that soccer is sport. As soon as the pitch becomes a battlefield there is no point in playing. Both teams should receive a very heavy punishment. This is a dark day for local soccer.” Tel Aviv police confirmed that 10 people had been arrested which prompted further brawling outside a city courthouse on Tuesday. Video footage showed the fans flailing wildly on the street and hitting each other with belts and sticks for several minutes. |