Mamelodi Sundowns fans and their Esperance counterparts engaged in a fist fight at the Loftus Versfeld following Miguel Cardoso’s team’s win in the CAF Champions League on Tuesday.
Sundowns secured a quarter-final first leg advantage on home soil when Peter Shalulile’s 54th minute goal handed them a 1-0 win over Esperance which they will take to Tunis in the second leg on Tuesday, April 8.
However, after the game, ugly scenes were witnessed in the stadium as the two sets of fans clashed.
What led to the violence?
It is not known what started the fight but the supporters broke down barricades at the stadium and used part of it as their weapons, throwing them at each other with situation escalating.
The fighting extended to the stadium exits with a section of fans throwing stones and pieces of food at their opponents.
Police had to use tear gas canisters to try and calm the situation with some Esperance fans holed up on the pitch under police protection as they waited for the situation to calm down before going out.
Fireworks expected in return leg
The ugly scenes took the gloss of a great game of football after Sundowns had managed to find a breakthrough in what was a tight encounter.
Shalulile poked home from a Jayden Adams cross as the home side found a way past their North African opponents as Cardoso got one over his former team.
The Brazilians will hope to complete the job in the second leg in Tunis in a week’s time in what will likely be a heated encounter both on the pitch and in the stands following the incidents in the stadium.
