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Referee Knocked Out in Mass Brawl

Local Football Match Ends in Hospital

Everything had been going well in the district league match between Mahndorf FC and SV Mardin, two teams based in the northern German port of Bremen, until the 85th minute. What happened then warranted a blow-by-blow police report.

It's exactly a year since Germany hosted the soccer World Cup and the country is basking in fond memories of that peaceful festival. But the joyous spirit of that event wasn't much in evidence during five chaotic minutes that wrecked a local match in the northern city of Bremen on Sunday.

In the 85th minute, with Mahndorf leading 3-1, two opposing players had an altercation on the pitch and the referee sent both of them off with red cards, Bremen police said.

Once they had got to the sideline they started fighting again, with the Mardin player punching his opponent in the face. The referee saw what had happened, ran over and told them he would be making a note of the incident.

At this point the Mardin coach, 30, stormed on the pitch and knocked the red card and notebook out of the referee's hand.

"In the ensuing tumult the 37-year-old referee was punched in the face and fell to the ground. While he was lying on the floor he was kicked in the neck several times, with the coach apparently taking part in the kicking," the police said.

The coach was hauled away by his own players and broke his shoulder in the process. He had to be taken to hospital.

"The unconscious referee had a bucket of water thrown on his face and when he came round was also taken to hospital," police said. "Everyone seems to have calmed down now."

The match was abandoned.

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