By Andrew Warshaw
March 30 – Russia are demanding UEFA automatically award them victory by default following the sickening sight of goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev being struck on the back of the head by a flare during disgraceful scenes at their Euro 2016 qualifier with Montenegro which was later abandoned.
Akinfeev was struck hit in the first minute of the vital Group G clash and was taken off on a stretcher and substituted by Yury Lodygin.
After a 35-minute delay during which calls were apparently made to UEFA president Michael Platini and general secretary Gianni infantine, German referee Deniz Aytekin restarted the match.
But there was more trouble in the stands at half time leading to a further 18-minute delay and the game was finally called off in the second half at 0-0 following a brawl involving players and coaching staff when another Russian player, Dmitry Kombarov, was struck by a cigarette lighter soon after Roman Shirokov’s 66th-minute penalty had been saved.
UEFA said it would wait to receive reports from the delegate and referee before opening disciplinary proceedings but sanctions seem certain to follow what was a crucial qualifier for both sides in Podgorica.
Eduard Bezuglov, the doctor attending the Russian team, said his goalkeeper suffered a concussion and burn to his neck.
“Akinfeev has a head concussion and a burned neck after he was hit by a flare,” Bezuglov was quoted as saying by the Russian Football Union website. “He underwent observation in a local clinic. He had a brain scan as well as a number of other tests. His life is not in danger.”
The incident came just days after Platini used his address to the UEFA Congress in Vienna to highlight the need for fan violence to be halted in its tracks to avoid a return to the dark days of hooliganism.
Russian coach Fabio Capello was against his team returning to the pitch after the first-minute injury to Akenfeev. But had Capello unilaterally refused to play on, Russia themselves would have lost the game 3-0 automatically under the rules and been virtually out of contention. Both sides had only five points from four games going into the fixture.
“In my opinion, they needed to stop the game immediately,” Capello told a press conference. “We did what the match delegate told us and went out on to the pitch and played. We could not simply refuse and walk away.”
The president of the Russian Football Union, Nikolay Tolstykh, agreed with Capello that the game should have been called off straight away.
“Following the end of the match, the Russian Football Union lodged a protest,” Tolstykh told Sport-Express newspaper. “In our view the game should have been stopped in the first minute. The protest has been made.”
Montenegran striker Stevan Jovetic claimed Russia’s players were deliberately looking for an excuse to stop Friday’s Group G tie.
“Of course I’m very disappointed with what happened. We did not need that. We went out and gave our best but … it was as if the Russians had been waiting for something to happen,” said the Manchester City forward. “They had been told to stop playing if even the smallest incident happened and to report to the referee.
“Clearly now we will be penalised. I just hope the punishment is not too heavy.”
Montenegro coach Branko Brnovic was far more contrite.
“I apologise to the Russian players and staff for everything that’s happened. My players are completely distraught.”
General secretary of Montenegro’s FA, Momir Durdevac, was scathing about his fans’ behaviour.
“We have left the impression of barbarians and this is a complete disaster,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned the game should not have continued after the first-minute incident. We can only thank God that no one was seriously hurt.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734945363labto1734945363ofdlr1734945363owedi1734945363sni@w1734945363ahsra1734945363w.wer1734945363dna1734945363