Violence Breaks Out In Dakar During Soccer Match [GALLERY]

On Saturday, the second leg of a qualifying match for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations took place between the Ivory Coast and Senegal in Dakar. But the game had to be abandoned before the end due to violent riots by Senegalese fans.

The violence was sparked by the fact that the Ivory Coast was ahead by 4-2 on aggregate after a first-leg victory. This meant that Senegal needed a lopsided victory to qualify. So when Didier Drogba scored two goals and put the Ivory Coast up 2-0, it pushed the angry Senegalese crowd over the edge.

Home fans started small fires around the stadium. Some players took cover under riot shields and ran off the pitch, others huddled near midfield and waited for vehicles to drive them away. After the players had escaped, Ivory Coast fans were gathered in the center of the field and left to wait until the rioters dispersed. Many people also had to jump over the upper-level barricades to relative safety on the lower levels.

Food, drinks and anything that could be thrown was being thrown on to the pitch, from all angles. There were fires started from garbage and they (fans) were tearing the flags down, even their own, which was pretty disturbing. We felt safer inside the stadium than outside, so we waited inside. When we left it was calming down though there was lots of tear gas.

Reports say about 10 people – including Senegalese Sports Minister Hadji Malick Gakou – were injured in the violence on the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor stadium. The match was abandoned, meaning the Ivory Coast will advance to next year’s tournament and Senegal is eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations. According to the BBC, a Senegalese official expects heavy sanctions to be levied by the Confederation of African Football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7t9edY5DBQ