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African officials to decide possible sanction on Friday
Security detain an Equatorial Guinea fan on the pitch after he tried to attack the referee during the 2015 African Cup of Nations semi-final soccer match against Ghana in Malabo, February 5, 2015. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
By Mark Gleeson
06/02/2015
MALABO (Reuters) - African football officials (CAF) will decide on Friday what action to take after another night of shame for the game at the African Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea.
At least 10 people were injured as violence brought an abrupt halt to the semi-final between the host nation and Ghana in Malabo on Thursday and left carnage around the stadium in a country with little experience of dealing with civil unrest.
On Thursday, Ghana won 3-0 to set up a final against the Ivory Coast while Equatorial Guinea were due to play again on Saturday in the third-place playoff in Malabo against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
But it is possible the CAF will order the match to be played behind closed doors, officials said on Friday.
The competition's organising committee were meeting in Malabo to decide on action and a response. CAF spokesman Junior Binyam said no statement on the violence would be made until after the meeting.
Frustrated home spectators at the Nuevo Estadio de Malabo pelted the opposing team, their fans and officials with myriad missiles before being chased away from the stadium by riot police on Thursday.
They continued their carnage outside, leaving roads strewn with cement boulders, broken objects and glass littering the stadium precinct, and the tournament in tatters.
Equatorial Guinea, which took over from Morocco as host with just months' notice, was riding a wave of positive publicity after delivering an exciting, 16-team tournament dominated by enthusiastic turn outs.
But the country's obvious lack of security facilities turned their success story into one of potential tragedy as angry local fans were allowed to run amok as their frustration, at seeing their side go behind, was manifested in violent scenes.
Last weekend the tournament showed a first glimpse of an ugly side as Tunisian players tried to attack a referee.
(Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
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