Soccer-Fan jailed after Europa League match abandoned
Posted Tuesday, August 21, 2012 by YAHOO Sport
The fallout from Anorthosis
Famagusta's abandoned Europa League match against Dila Gori
continued when a fan who invaded the pitch was jailed for four
months by a Cypriot court.
Anorthosis were expelled from the competition by European
soccer's governing body UEFA last week after the Aug. 9 tie was
called off on 82 minutes by Hungarian referee Mihaly Fabian with
the Georgian team leading 3-0 on the night.
UEFA also fined the Cypriot team 50,000 euros ($61,700) and
ordered them to play their next three UEFA club competition
matches behind closed doors.
The game, the second leg of a third qualifying round tie,
was awarded to Dila 3-0 and they will now face Maritimo of
Portugal in the playoff round.
The 20-year-old fan was among a group of youths protesting
at Anorthosis's dismal showing at the Antonis Papadopoulos
stadium in Larnaca.
He pleaded guilty to illegally entering the pitch, where he
heckled the club's Montenegran goalkeeper Srdjan Blazic, and to
being drunk in public.
Leading 1-0 from the first leg, Anorthosis were already
trailing by a goal in the return match when Dila skipper Lasha
Salukvadze scored in the 78th minute to extend their advantage
to 2-0 on the night, sparking four minutes of mayhem.
Moments after that second goal the Cypriots had midfielder
Vincent Laban sent off before Dila's Mate Vatsadze made it 3-0
to the visitors, leading to angry scenes in the stands and the
match being abandoned.
Anorthosis were the first Cypriot team to qualify for the
Champions League group stage in 2009. Rivals APOEL Nicosia
reached the quarter-finals last season.
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