Angry Hertha fans invade pitch with steel bars
Reuters - Saturday 13 March 2010, 18:34
BERLIN - Dozens of angry Hertha Berlin
fans, some armed with steel bars, stormed the Olympic Stadium
pitch on Saturday after a 2-1 loss to Nuremberg left the
rock-bottom capital side contemplating relegation.
Players and coaching staff from both teams fled into the
changing rooms as police chased the fans back into the stands.
Herth fans invaded the pitch minutes after Nuremberg striker
Angelos Haristeas had struck an injury-time winner to give
Nuremberg a crucial win that lifted them out of the relegation
zone on 24 points.
Hertha spokesman Gerd Graus said there were no reports of
injuries.
"This behaviour has no place in the Olympic stadium," Hertha
coach Friedhelm Funkel told reporters.
Hertha have been anchored in last place in the Bundesliga
since mid-September. They have 15 points from 26 matches.
After a disastrous first half of the season when they
collected only six points, Hertha, who narrowly missed out on
Champions League qualification last season, had looked able to
drag themselves off bottom spot in recent weeks.
They took a first-half lead against Nuremberg through Greece
international Fanis Gekas before Swiss Albert Bunjaku and
Haristeas snatched victory for the visitors.
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