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Colombian match postponed after team bus attack leaves three injured

A Colombian league match between Atletico Junior and Deportivo Pasto on Saturday was postponed after the visitors' team bus was attacked on its way to the ground.

Two members of backroom staff and on player were hurt, a league statement said.

The match, due to have been played in Barranquilla, was called off "because of the attack suffered by the visitors' bus 14 kilometres from the stadium," the statement added.

It said: "We inform you that the match between Junior and Pasto is suspended."

The game was rescheduled to be played behind closed doors on Sunday morning local time.

A statement from Junior said: "We regret and reject the incidents that occurred on the bus that was transporting Deportivo Pasto to the Estadio Metropolitano.

"These acts of vandalism can't happen again in our city or in Colombian football. We invite sport fans to enjoy the football party in peace."

The league's Twitter page showed pictures of a smashed window and an unidentified passenger cowering on a seat.

Player Carlos Giraldo wrote on Twitter: "Incredible, we were just attacked with stones."

Journalist Andres Marocco tweeted: "I just spoke to Carlos and he tells me he's ok. He suffered a blow, but it's not serious.

"Two more members of Pasto were hit with stones but neither have any complications."

He described the incident as "such a shame."

The match was due to be played at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning, but the Deportivo Pasto players issued a statement to the league protesting that time was too soon after the incident.

The statement read: "The players and coaching staff at Deportivo Pasto want to inform you as the president of DIMAYOR that we have taken the decision to reject the scheduled time of kick-off against Atletico Junior."

"The reasons for this are because you never considered us when making the decision and three of our staff, including captain Carlos Giraldo, were in a clinic and were not released until midnight."

"The medics officially gave our captain Carlos Giraldo and assisstant coach Pedro Alzate two days recovery time and our physiotherapist Cristian Tobar four days, who at the moment don't find themselves in good health."

Information from ESPN FC's Matias Grez was used in this report.

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