FIFA begin probe on abandoned Malaysia-Saudi match

Saudi Arabia football players watch as a group of Malaysian fans throws flares and smoke bombs onto the field in the World Cup qualifying match in Shah Alam Stadium on Tuesday. - AFP

PETALING JAYA: FIFA have begun a probe into the Shah Alam Stadium fiasco – and are likely to come down hard on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

FAM have been told to provide copies of DVD recordings of the crowd trouble that erupted during the World Cup qualifying match between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia at the Shah Alam Stadium on Tuesday.

“All I know is that FIFA will analyse the recordings before making a decision. They (FIFA) want us to provide three copies of the DVD recordings (of the incident). They sent us an email this morning,” said a FAM spokesman.

A group of unruly fans lit flares and fireworks and threw them onto the pitch to disrupt the game in the 88th minute. Referee Liu Kwok Man of Hong Kong was forced to stop the match, with Saudi Arabia leading 2-1.

Match commissioner Prince Rufus of India abandoned the game 30 minutes later after Police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel were unable to restore order in the stands.

Rufus said: “The match is unfit to be continued. We will send a report to FIFA and await further instructions.”

FAM can expect severe punishment from FIFA as this is not the first time that a football game here has been disrupted by crowd trouble.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had fined FAM US$10,000 (RM43,300) for poor security last year, Then, fans interrupted the national team’s friendly against the Philippines at the Selayang Stadium in Selangor. The fans let off fireworks and lit flares and smoke bombs.

The AFC had also warned that the national team may be forced to play behind closed doors if such an incident happened again.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

8.45pm: Kick-off.
9.15pm: Saudi Arabia dominate the game. Malaysia sit back and defend.
9.25pm: About 1,500 fans (believed to be Ultras Malaya) walk towards the Malaysian goal (40th minute).
9.30pm: Half-time score 0-0. The group continues chanting and hurling abuse at the FA of Malaysia (FAM).
9.45pm: Match resumes.
10.10pm: Malaysian skipper Safiq Rahim gives Malaysia a shock 1-0 lead (70th).
10.13pm: The visitors equalise through Taiseer Al Jassam 1-1 (73rd).
10.16pm: Striker Mohammed Al Sahlawi’s header crashes off the upright and into goal 2-1 (76th).
10.28pm: The group of unruly fans light flares, fireworks and throw smoke bombs onto the pitch (88th).  
10.29pm: Referee Liu Kwok Man (Hkg) halts match. Instructs players/officials to return to the dressing room (89th).
10.30pm: Players and team officials run for safety.
10.32pm: Saudi’s Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk runs for cover and calls his players into the tunnel.
10.31pm: Police and FRU personnel rush in to restore order (clear the flares on the track and pitch).
10.32pm: The Middle eastern fans leave the stadium in a huff.
10.45pm: Match commissioner Prince Rufus (India) suspends game for 30 minutes.
11.00pm: A scuffle breaks out between Middle Eastern supporters and some unruly Malaysian fans.
11.20pm: Match commissioner Prince Rufus calls off the match, saying: “The match is unfit to be continued”.