Shameful acts of stupidity

SHAH ALAM: Children cried, people screamed, Saudi Arabia fans ran for their lives and players sought safety at the stadium tunnel.

It was a sight to forget for the Malaysian football scene as the Ultras Malaya fans showed their ugly side.

The game between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night at Stadium Shah Alam began well. Many fans were scattered around the stadium. Malaysia was fighting to beat Saudi Arabia in the 2018 World Cup qualifying Asian Zone Group A match.

In the 41st minute, the scene dramatically changed. More than a thousand Ultras suddenly got up from where they were sitting and started marching to the back of the goal post where Malaysia would play from during the second half.

During the match, Malaysia scored in the 70th minute and all was still peaceful, although the Ultras were boisterous. The Saudis replied two minutes later and then took the lead in the 76th minute.

Chaos erupted in the 87th minute.

Suddenly, the Ultras threw flares into the pitch and running track. They also lobbed fireworks, rockets and smoke bombs.

Some projectiles zoomed just over the heads of policemen and press photographers. If the missiles had come just a little lower, they would have struck their bodies.

The scene was reminiscent of 2011 when Malaysia played Singa­pore at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

A fan lost his right eye after being struck by a firecracker then.

At the Shah Alam Stadium, two flares reached the stands and people got worried. Some had brought their families and were stunned by what was happening around them.

Now the children were crying, the men were shouting at the Ultras to stop and women were trying to get their children out of the stadium.

It did not end there. Another group, allegedly known as the “Casuals”, attacked Saudi Arabian fans in the away stand.

Police managed to stop them and told the Saudi fans to leave the stadium. But there were more Casuals waiting outside and the fans ran back inside, fearing for their lives.

One Saudi fan, who injured his leg, asked: “Is this really Malaysia?”

He had to stay in a “holding” area until police could bring the situation under control.

The Ultras Malaya and the Casuals should be ashamed of themselves over what happened. Now, Malaysia is doomed to play at least a few matches in empty stadiums.

Their behaviour was a self-defeating act. As bad as, or worse than, the 10-0 defeat the Malaysian team suffered to the UAE.