<
>

Referee abandons Cypriot first-division match fans' pitch invasion

Officials say a referee has called off a Cypriot first-division match after fans briefly invaded the pitch and clashed with players before the game had started.

Sunday's match had third-place Anorthosis Famagusta visiting fourth-place Apollon in Limassol.

Apollon spokesman Phanourios Constantinou told the Associated Press that about 50 Anorthosis fans originally seated behind the Apollon bench attacked stadium stewards and clashed with Apollon players.

Constantinou said there weren't serious injuries, but some players received treatment. He said the referee called off the match because the stadium's security officer and police couldn't give safety guarantees.

Anorthosis President Charalambos Manoli was quoted by sports website kerkida.net as saying the match should have proceeded because fans had returned to their seats. He said gestures by Apollon players and officials had provoked Anorthosis fans.