Crowd Violence Halts ISL Match Between Mohammedan Sporting and Kerala Blasters
The Indian Super League (ISL) match between Mohammedan Sporting and Kerala Blasters on Sunday was marred by crowd violence, forcing the referee to pause the game for several minutes.
The incident occurred at the Kishore Bharati Stadium in Kolkata, where home team Mohammedan fans grew increasingly frustrated as the match progressed. The tipping point came when the referee denied a penalty to Mohammedan in the dying minutes of regulation time.
Bottles and other projectiles, including stones and wooden logs, were hurled onto the pitch by the home fans. Kerala Blasters fans also reported being targeted with projectiles in the away stand. Fans were seen climbing the fence separating the stands from the field.
The referee halted play and directed the players back to their technical areas. Local player Samad Ali Mallick appealed to the fans to calm down, and some home fans followed his lead, using megaphones to urge the crowd to settle down.
Mohammedan had taken an early lead through a penalty converted by Mirjalol Kasimov in the 28th minute. Kerala Blasters dominated possession but failed to find an equalizer before halftime.
The visitors turned the tide in the second half after introducing Kwame Peprah in the 64th minute. Peprah scored three minutes later, and Jesus Jimenez completed the comeback in the 75th minute.
As the game wore on, Mohammedan fans became increasingly agitated with every decision that went against them. The penalty awarded to Kerala Blasters late in the match proved to be the final straw, triggering the crowd violence.
Kerala Blasters FC released a statement expressing concern about the aggression faced by their fans. The club said it had contacted the relevant authorities and the league to investigate the incident and take appropriate action.
