Arsenal star among six Premier League players forced to take refuge in dressing room as Ghana fans riot
09/06/2024 02:15 PM
Six Premier League stars were forced to take shelter after Ghanaian fans stormed the field and hurled projectiles onto the field.
Ghana slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Angola in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture, with Felicio Milson’s stoppage time strike proving the difference.
The home fans inside the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi were incensed by the defeat.
Some sprinted onto the field while others tossed bottles among other objects onto the field below.
According to Ghana Soccernet, ‘the crowd kicked anything in sight, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake’.
Security immediately ushered the players off the field and to the confines of the dressing room, with several stars from England’s top flight among them.
Arsenal midfielder and Ghana captain Thomas Partey was one player who was escorted to safety.
Others included West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey, Bournemouth‘s Antoine Semenyo as well as Leicester City pair Jordan Ayew and Abdul Fatawu.
A report also claimed Ayew was confronted by a pitch invader during the match, with several stewards required to take them off the field.
Such was the damage done to the field, Ghana’s National Sports Authority (NSA) announced the venue would be closed for a month to undergo maintenance.
It is expected the Confederation of African Football will hand down a fine on the Ghana Football Association (FA).
The chaos after the Angola fixture is not the first time a Ghana fixture has been marred by post-match trouble.
Ghana’s FA was slapped with a £11,350 fine as a result of furious fans confronting former boss Chris Hughton after his side lost 2-1 to Cape Verde in the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
A report claimed one supporter hurled verbal abuse towards Hughton at the team’s hotel, with Ghanaian diplomats stepping in to de-escalate the situation.
The Ghanaian FA was also handed a £7,614 ($10,000) fine in 2019 when an unruly fan invaded the field during an AFCON qualifier between Ghana and South Africa.
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