TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG – THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) has eliminated Algerian side ES Setif from the Champions League following crowd trouble in a recent match against South African side, Mamelodi Sundowns.

The match was abandoned at the Stade du 8 Mai 1945 Stadium with Sundowns leading 2-0.

Match officials noted especially the pitch invasion as well as numerous throws of missiles, stones, bottles, and firecrackers, provoking a certain number of injured spectators and members of the security forces.

The CAF Organizing Committee for the Inter-Clubs Competitions decided to apply the provisions of Chapter XII paragraph 3 and considered ES Sétif loser and eliminated from the competition without prejudice to any other sanctions that may be imposed by CAF Disciplinary Board.

“If the referee is forced to stop the match before the end of the regular time because of invasion of the field or aggression against the visiting team, the host team shall be considered loser and shall be eliminated from the competition, without prejudice to the sanctions existing in the regulations,” the instrument states.

Concerning the result of the said match, it is hence cancelled in conformity with the spirit of article XI.13 of the regulations stipulating: “If a team withdraws after the start of the group matches without having played half of the group matches, the overall results of the matches in which this team participated is cancelled.”

Following the decision, Egypt’s Zamalek now top the group on three points while Enyimba is second with zero.

Sundowns drop to third.

– Guardian