Liverpool FC Forum

[lakes10]

Thirteen fans injured in South African stadium crush

Twelve people have been injured and one policeman seriously hurt after a crush outside a South African ground hosting a World Cup warm-up game.

Several fans fell under a rush of people outside the Makhulong Stadium in the Johannesburg suburb of Tembisa.

Entry to the friendly game between Nigeria and North Korea was free and many more than the 10,000 capacity turned up for the match.

"The crowd overpowered me and I went down," said one fan, Japhta Mombelo.

"I fell down and people just fell over me."

The first crowd surge came when the stadium gates were opened to allow fans entry.

Police soon closed the gates, but when they were re-opened, a second rush occurred, with more people falling over.

"When we were coming in, they were just stepping on us," another fan, Princess Mbali, who was wearing a South Africa shirt, said.

"I thought I was dying. I was at the bottom."


The incidents have provided the wrong sort of build-up to the World Cup that the South African authorities would have wanted

BBC Sport's Piers Edwards
The policeman, who has been taken to hospital, was reported to have been crushed against one of the gates.

The crowd was mainly made up of local South African and travelling Nigerian fans.

Police said that hundreds of them were also holding photocopies of tickets and tried to break down the gates after the match had started and police had closed them.

In a separate incident the game was then stopped for five minutes in the second half when a railing collapsed inside the stadium.

The incidents have provided the wrong sort of build-up to the World Cup that the South African authorities would have wanted, the BBC's Piers Edwards, outside the stadium, says.

The venue is not a World Cup venue, but the incident is likely to heighten security even further ahead of the World Cup opener between South Africa and Mexico at Soccer City on Friday, our correspondent says.

The game itself finished 3-1 to Nigeria, with Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Victor Obinna Nsofor and Obafemi Martins scoring for the Super Eagles, while Jong Hyok Cha was on target for North Korea

[lakes10]

there was a big fear something like this was going to happen during the world cup game.
a lot of the english press pointed out problems they were sure going to happen.
i a way i am happy this has happend now and no deaths come from it, lets hops it dont happen again after this and they learn from it.

4 weeks ago the britsh press were taken to a game and something like this almost happend at that game, fans pushed open the gates after the game started, only by luck nothing happend that time.
the british press point out what had once happend in England and said the police need to be in better control of the gates and to make sure all fans are inside before kick off.


what they gut said in his report above took me back to what our fans said when they got stuck in the crush.

[tubby]

This isn't good at all. To be honest I don't think it should even be hosted here but I hope everything stays ok once it starts.

[lakes10]

England's opening World Cup 2010 referee branded a 'crook'• Perceived errors led to him being suspended in Brazil
• 'He must be in someone's pocket,' said Palmeiras president

The Brazilian referee appointed for England's opening Group C game against the USA was suspended last season by his national federation amid accusations of bribery and incompetence.

Carlos Eugênio Simon, who has officiated at the last two World Cup finals, was stood down by the Brazilian football confederation for the final six weeks of the domestic campaign after a build-up of perceived errors culminated in the president of Palmeiras denouncing him as "a crook, a scoundrel and a shameless ".

Some 12 months earlier Flamengo had been so incensed by the sending-off of their striker Diego Tardelli in a critical game against Cruzeiro – the forward appeared to be fouled for a penalty, only to be sent off for diving – that they wrote to the Fifa general secretary, Jérôme Valcke, with an accompanying DVD, demanding Simon was dropped for the tournament in South Africa. Their defeat by Cruzeiro had cost them a place in the following season's Copa Libertadores.

Simon, 44, retains the support of Fifa although his propensity to court controversy could unnerve Fabio Capello. The Brazilian authorities felt compelled to sanction him last November after he disallowed a Palmeiras goal, scored by Obina, in their 1-0 defeat by Fluminense, the official judging the scorer to have fouled an opponent in the build-up. The Palmeiras president, Luiz Gonzaga Belluzzo, duly went public with his frustrations at the referee's performance.

"He's a crook, a scoundrel ... just a shameless ," Belluzzo said at the time. "He must be in someone's pocket. If I met him in the street, I would slap him. What he did was unbelievable and he was helping Fluminense. He should be driven out of football." His comments were noted and, after a dialogue with the national referees' association, Simon was eventually suspended by the Brazilian federation for "a repetition of mistakes committed during the competition".

The Tardelli incident may have counted against Simon – who refereed England's opening group game against Sweden at the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan – in that judgment with the Flamengo vice-president at the time, Kléber Leite, having been moved to put together a DVD of the official's apparent errors to submit to Fifa. The footage began with the opening titles: "Please, Fifa, check this out".

An extract from the accompanying letter read: "The video evidence collected and hereby submitted – attesting the unambiguously inconsistent, unfair and inequitable technical performance of Mr Simon – provides the Fifa referees' committee with a factual account to illustrate the risks of retaining [Simon] in the list of referees for the 2010 World Cup. Flamengo has done this for the sake of good order and for the good of the game."

England's preparations for Saturday's opening game will continue with a practice match against the local league side, Platinum Stars, tomorrow afternoon in which Capello intends to play those to be involved against the USA for at least 45 minutes. The exception to that rule may be Ledley King, who could be rested along with his Tottenham team-mate Michael Dawson, who arrived on Saturday as a replacement for Rio Ferdinand.

The injured England captain, meanwhile, will watch Saturday's game in Rustenburg before returning to Manchester United for treatment on the knee ligament injury sustained in training last Friday. The 31-year-old is not expected to require an operation to repair the joint.

The centre-back Matthew Upson is expected to resume training tomorrow after being absent for a second successive England session with a high temperature. The defender was the only member of the 23-man squad not put through his paces before the practice match with the Platinum Stars.

A Football Association spokesman said: "Matthew is in the gym today. He is feeling a lot better and will train tomorrow









so we have a good ref then!!!!!!!

[tubby]

If Saint's not here can I have Spain?

[zarababe]

Well the week that leads to the greatest show on earthg beginning.. I can't wait .. soooooo excited

[tubby]

Zara did you see Di Marias goal against Canada the other day? Can't believe he hadn't scored for the national team up until then.

[Ben Patrick]

Zara did you see Di Marias goal against Canada the other day? Can't believe he hadn't scored for the national team up until then.

Top strike that, watched that game. The argies looked great in it.
Outside of the left peg Di Maria's goal was with wasnt it.
Thought Aguero took his goal well too.
So many attacking options i cant wait to watch them.
And am buying the shirt tomorrow as well, not sure whether to get the home or the away, they are both well smart.

[zarababe]

Zara did you see Di Marias goal against Canada the other day? Can't believe he hadn't scored for the national team up until then.

Top strike that, watched that game. The argies looked great in it.
Outside of the left peg Di Maria's goal was with wasnt it.
Thought Aguero took his goal well too.
So many attacking options i cant wait to watch them.
And am buying the shirt tomorrow as well, not sure whether to get the home or the away, they are both well smart.

Anno wasn't it great http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD1vcqlzUhY&NR=1
(classick south american celebration goaaaaaaaaal) ... and don't they look in great shape ay. Diego's had no friendlies leading up to the start, to get the boys in good shape, avoid needles injuries and fatigue and well if you think about it at this level your orchestrating not coaching ay.

They look inspired and ready !

I can't wait ..Saturday Diego's Argentina begin the road to glory .. wahay

BTW the blue and whie shirt - classic Argy shirt - get it !

[zarababe]

Maxi scores too - Arg 1-0 Canada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvU06M25SZQ&feature=related 

Argentina look awesome... 

[tubby]

Zara did you see Di Marias goal against Canada the other day? Can't believe he hadn't scored for the national team up until then.

Top strike that, watched that game. The argies looked great in it.
Outside of the left peg Di Maria's goal was with wasnt it.
Thought Aguero took his goal well too.
So many attacking options i cant wait to watch them.
And am buying the shirt tomorrow as well, not sure whether to get the home or the away, they are both well smart.

I was thinking about getting one too. I could spend all day in Lillywhites trying on kits haha

Got the new Brazil home it instead. They have always been my 2nd team.

[zarababe]

England were really poor today again - not looking good - Again !

[Bad Bob]

Maxi scores too - Arg 1-0 Canada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvU06M25SZQ&feature=related 

Argentina look awesome... 

I beg you to consider the opposition before getting too carried away! 

[SeaofRed]

I hope England smash Argentina in the World Cup and I hope Britain does them over again in the Falklands.

[Ben Patrick]

I hope England smash Argentina in the World Cup and I hope Britain does them over again in the Falklands.

Why are we at war with them in the falklands 

by the way Zara, the home shirt is well smart but i think i prefer the away you know.