A top-flight match in Belgium between Standard Liege and Royal Antwerp was abandoned after a home supporter threw a plastic cup at the referee in the closing stages.
Referee Lothar D’Hondt halted the Belgian Pro League match in the 87th minute after being struck on the back after the cup was thrown from the stands at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium.
Standard Liege had been leading 1-0 at the time of the incident, after Rafiki Said had put them in front just 17 seconds into the match.
Home fans had thrown objects onto the pitch twice previously during the match, leading to warnings being issued.
A cup was then thrown again at D’Hondt in the closing minutes of the match, with the object hitting the official and Liege player Tobias Mohr.
D’Hondt responded by blowing the final whistle and pointing for both players to head down the tunnel, a decision which appeared to frustrate both sets of players.
Referee Lothar D’Hondt abandoned the match after being hit with a cup thrown from the stands
The referee blew the full-time whistle in the 87th minute and told players to go down the tunnel
Standard Liege and Royal Antwerp players appealed to the referee to change the decision
Standard Liege players were also seen questioning the fans for their actions, which had led to the abandonment of the match.
Referee D’Hondt had followed rules set out by the Belgian Pro League in dealing with crowd trouble.
A warning was initially issued to fans after objects were thrown in protest at the referee’s decision to send off Adnane Abid in the 39th minute, following a VAR review.
When more cups were thrown 20 minutes before the final whistle, D’Hondt ordered players off the pitch for 10 minutes as part of the second stage of the protocols.
D’Hondt instantly abandoned the match as part of the third and final stage of the rules when the incident occurred again in the 87th minute.
Despite initially reports Standard Liege would be made to forfeit the match, Belgian Pro League rules dictate the match will be resumed at a later date behind closed doors.
‘When the referee definitively stops the match due to verbal abuse (chants) and/or disorder outside the field of play in professional football, the match will be resumed behind closed doors, starting from the minute the match was stopped and with the score at the time of the stoppage,’ the rules state.
Standard Liege confirmed the remaining minutes are expected to take place on Monday or Tuesday, while confirming the fan responsible has been identified.
The official abandoned the match after objects were thrown three times during the game
Players questioned fans for throwing objects with the match previously having been delayed, with warning issued about their behaviour
Standard Liege players questioned their supporters after the abandonment of the match
D’Hondt was seen explaining his decision to abandon the match to Standard Liege’s head coach
The club said it has begun the process of enforcing a stadium ban on the fan, as well pursuing compensation.
According to reports in Belgium, Standard Liege could be forced to play as many as three away matches without fans due to the crowd trouble – or face a home match behind closed doors – while the club are expected to be fined.
Standard Liege sporting director Marc Wilmots, the former manager of the Belgian national team, hit out at the referee post-match and accused the official of trying to be a star.
‘They always have double standards. When I watch Adnane’s play, there are two players making a tackle. Yes, he’s on his leg, but where’s the intention to hurt the opponent? None,’ Wilmots told DAZN.
‘We’re down to ten, and that’s not how we get a football match. And the yellow card he gives – why does he get so close to the supporters to give it? The players fight all match, and because someone throws something, you blow the whistle?
Standard Liege confirmed the fan has been identified but the club could face further action
‘I’m disappointed, especially for Belgian football. Now the referees are the stars. It’s starting to get on my nerves.’
It is the third time the rule has been enforced.
RWDM Brussels and Eupen played out the final five minutes of a match two seasons ago, while Antwerp’s derby against Beerschot was halted 15 minutes before full-time last season.
Antwerp, who led 4-0 at the time, were awarded a 5-0 victory after Beerschot forfeited the match.
