The Eredivisie match between Ajax and Groningen came to an abrupt halt after a mere nine minutes, owing to the unruly behavior of the home team’s fans, who twice launched fireworks onto the pitch.
The initial disruption occurred in the sixth minute when smoke bombs were hurled onto the field, prompting the players to be swiftly escorted off. Shortly thereafter, a disgruntled supporter brandished a banner demanding the resignation of the Groningen board, dashing onto the pitch.
The match was momentarily resumed after three minutes, only to face another interruption as more fireworks were flung.
Adhering to recently implemented regulations in the Netherlands, the referee made the decision to abandon the game. The Dutch Football Association (FA) had established a policy following an incident in a previous Dutch Cup semi-final, where Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen was struck on the head by a lighter thrown from the stands.
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Under the new guidelines, any match would be immediately halted if a player or official was struck by an object from the crowd. Additionally, games would be temporarily paused in the event of a projectile being thrown that did not make contact, and a second instance would lead to a match suspension.
The premature conclusion of the Ajax-Groningen fixture marked the fourth occasion over the weekend in which a Dutch Eredivisie match had been momentarily halted due to crowd disturbances.
While Ajax currently occupies the third position in the league standings, Feyenoord secured the title with a resounding 3-0 victory over Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday.
The disruptive actions of a few individuals served as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining safety and sportsmanship within football.
