After Cyprus won the EURO U-21 qualifiers match against Turkey with a final score of 0-1, the scene quickly became violent with fights breaking out between the players on the pitch. Once the final whistle blew, the referees found themselves having to separate the teams as several players from both the Cyprus and Turkey squads exchanged verbal and physical blows.
The Cypriot national team under 21 who clinched a historic 1-0 victory against Turkey, had the match marred by trouble at the end of the game.
Three players from each side were shown the red card by the referee following the fracas after the final whistle.
The man of the hour, 20-year-old Phanos Katelaris, scored from a free-kick on the edge of the box, making the Omonia player the only Greek Cypriot footballer to have ever scored a goal on Turkish soil.
Thursday’s game was part of the European Championship qualifying group under 21, where Cyprus is competing with Turkey, Slovakia, Belarus, and Holland.
Cypriot coach Nicos Andronikou, who handpicked Katelaris for the team, told state radio on Friday morning that the Cypriots were attacked by Turkish players without a reason.
Andronikou called the victory the best moment he has ever experienced in his football career.
But Turkish media painted a different picture, saying the Greek Cypriots were celebrating their victory in a ‘racist’ way which caused reactions from their opponent.
An early morning report on CyBC News said that tempers flared when celebrating players were hurling racial slurs.
Turkish police intervened while players on both teams were pushing and shoving each other, with the Cypriot players later escorted back to their hotel rooms.
After the game, Katelaris posted a controversial verse on Facebook making references against the Turkish flag and invoking the political slogan ‘Never Forget’ in the south.
The team arrives back on the island on Friday night and will get ready for their next game with Slovakia on Monday.