The Dutch Cup semi-final between Feyenoord and Ajax was marred by violence and chaos as the game was interrupted twice. The first stoppage occurred within just one minute of the start, as flares were set off by Feyenoord fans.
Ajax se retiró a los 30 minutos de partido luego de que le lanzaran un encendedor en la cabeza a un jugador en el duelo ante el Feyenoord por la copa de los #PaisesBajos pic.twitter.com/0NfDWJIfoA
— La Unión MC (@launionmc) April 5, 2023
The players had to leave the pitch, and after the smoke cleared, they returned. However, the game was stopped again in the first half when Ajax’s midfielder, Klaassen, was hit on the back of his head by an object thrown from the crowd. The player was left with a bloody wound, and the players were once again taken off the field for their safety.
The object was reportedly a lighter, and the police later confirmed that the fan who threw it had been arrested.
The situation quickly got out of control, and Feyenoord’s assistant boss, John de Wolf, had to address the fans to ask them to behave. He pleaded with them to use their brains and ensure that nothing else was thrown on the pitch.
The match resumed after the incident, with Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez scoring an equalizer to cancel out Dusan Tadic’s opener. However, Ajax regained the lead in the second half through Klaassen’s goal and managed to hold on for a 2-1 victory despite a late red card for Kenneth Taylor.
They will now face PSV in the KNVB Cup final on April 30.
The Dutch FA released a statement condemning the incident and stating that they will take all necessary steps to punish the perpetrators. They said that it was insane for players not to be safe on the field, despite the precautions taken by clubs and organizations.
The statement added that if fans did not come to the stadium for football but to riot, they should stay away. The incident highlights the continuing problem of violence and hooliganism in football, and authorities need to take strong action to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.