C.Africain-Al-Hilal clash called off after pitch invasion

Mahmoud Mohamed, Saturday 7 May 2011

Tunisian side Club Africain's game against Sudanese Al-Hilal was called off after Tunisian fans invaded the pitch in an ugly scene

Club Africain v Al Hilal
Tunisian side Club Africain fans invaded the pitch and the game was canceled

The second leg of Round 16 of Cup of the CAF Champions League game between Tunisian side Club Africain and Sudanese Al-Hilal was abandoned seven minutes before the end of the game after fans invaded the pitch, raising security concerns against the context of a popular revolt in the country.

Al-Hilal scored the first goal of the game in the 18th minute to anger Club Africain’s home supporters, who used fireworks to scare the Sudanese players until Tunisian Khaled Melliti found the net in the 69th minute.

Seven minutes before the end of the game, Tunisian fans saw no time left for their team to return to take the match, and so took over the pitch and forced the referee to leave.

Some were seen holding bladed weapons, which they used to assault security personnel. Something similar happened one month ago with Club Africain in Cairo when Zamalek hosted the Tunisian side in the previous round of the CAF Champions League.

Zamalek were handed an $80,000 fine and ordered to play two African matches behind closed doors after thousands of their supporters invaded the pitch in stoppage time to force the cancellation of the match.

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