Standard Liège led Royal Antwerp 1-0 after 87 minutes
Final minutes to be played without fans on Monday
A Belgian referee abandoned a Pro League match in the 87th minute after being struck by a plastic cup thrown from the stands.
Standard Liège were leading Royal Antwerp 1-0 when the object hit Lothar D’Hondt at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne on Friday. The match official then surprised the players and dugout staff by blowing his whistle to end the game with three minutes left to play. Those remaining moments will now be played without any fans in attendance on Monday afternoon, as per a ruling by the league in 2022.
The Belgian Pro League said: “This new rule was introduced because we are pro-football and pro-competition. Fans can no longer take control. The sporting principle prevails: the outcome of a match is decided on the pitch, not on the court.”
