MUFULIRA Wanderers fans on Saturday ran amok after Zesco United scored during the Super Division week 19 match at Shinde Stadium.
The fans, who could not stomach conceding, threw stones and all sorts of missiles on the pitch when striker Winston Kalengo fired Zesco into the lead in the 31st minute. Kalengo combined with Cletus Chama before finding the net.
Wanderers fans surprisingly disputed the goal claiming referee Gladys Lengwe could have blown for a foul which Zesco did not commit.
Wanderers fans flooded the pitch with stones forcing match officials to abandon their duties. The fans fought running battles with police causing panic in the Zesco camp with visiting fans also scampering in all directions after Wanderers supporters who were outside the stadium also joined in throwing stones. Lengwe, who flushed four yellow cards – one to Wanderers and three to Zesco in a space of seven minutes, stopped the match for 10 minutes before storming out of the pitch alongside Zesco players.
Wanderers’ players remained on the pitch waiting for the resumption of the match after police officers managed to restore order.
Match commissioner Regina Sikazwe ordered for the restart of the match after an hour but Zesco players refused to return.
Wanderers fans regrouped outside the stadium and blocked all exit gates and police used teargas cannisters to disperse them.
The Zesco bus left the stadium at 17:40 hours under police escort.
