Man hospitalised after football violence after GSP match

A 25-year-old man remained in hospital on Monday after being seriously injured during violence following Sunday night’s football match between Apoel and Ael at Nicosia’s GSP stadium.

Fans threw stones, lighted flares and other objects at various places along the highway after the match had finished, setting fire to a passing vehicle.

The car came to a halt as the front end was completely destroyed, but the two occupants managed to get out unhurt.

At least seven fires were also set to trees and dry grass in fields adjacent to the stadium near the Futsal courts. The dry grass fire spread to two vehicles.

The fire service responded with six engines from the Nicosia fire stations.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou said one fan was injured when a thrown object struck him and he needed to be transferred to Nicosia general hospital, suffering from a head injury.

A riot squad unit rushed to the scene, using tear gas to disperse the hooligans, who then fled to the surrounding fields.

Police failed to make any arrests, however, Andreou said on Monday they are studying video footage from the incidents and their goal is to identify the culprits and make arrests.

In a separate unrelated incident during the match, a fan fell into the hatch in front of one of the stands, suffering a vertebral fracture.