I predict a riot: Five international matches abandoned due to crowd trouble



Nobody was surprised when Scottish referee Craig Thomson abandoned the Euro 2012 qualifier between Italy and Serbia following violent scenes in Genoa. The only shock was that it took as much as seven minutes before play was stopped after Serbian fans caused mayhem before, during and then after the match.

With Serbia set to have the book thrown at them by UEFA, Sportsmail looks back at previous international encounters that have met an early end due to wild crowds.



Trouble: Police in riot gear confront Serbia fans during the Euro 2012 qualifier in Italy

Denmark v Sweden (2007)

This heated Euro 2008 qualifier in Copenhagen came to a climax in the 89th minute after referee Herbert Fandel abandoned the game following an attack by a Danish fan.



With Denmark coming back from 3-0 down to level 3-3, Christian Poulsen was sent off for punching Markus Rosenberg resulting in a penalty to Sweden.



Attack: Denmark's Michael Gravgaard (centre) intervenes as a Danish supporter attacks referee Herbert Fandel

Stewards were nowhere to be seen as the fan ran on to the pitch to attack the referee. But despite the intruder being pulled away quickly by Denmark players, Fandel stopped the game with Sweden later given a 3-0 win by UEFA.



France v Algeria (2001)

On paper it was an international friendly, but behind the scenes it meant a whole lot more. This was the first time the two counties had met since the north African's had gained independence from their European hosts in 1962.



Tensions were already running high in Paris after Algerian fans had heavily booed ‘La Marseillaise’ before kick-off. For a while, though, the game appeared to be meandering to a calm ending.



Tension: Policemen drag away a spectator after dozens of Algerian supporters invaded the field in France

However with France 4-1 up in the 77th minute, ever-increasing numbers of Algerian fans took to the field with stewards powerless to restore order. After the players had gone off it took the intervention from riot police to regain control.



And watch this astonishing footage from the French dugout



Republic of Ireland v England (1995)

Given the history between the two countries, this was never expected to be the friendliest of friendlies but nobody expected the chaos that erupted midway through the first half at Lansdowne Road.



Unfriendly: A match between Republic of Ireland and England was halted midway through the first half

The warm-up fixture for Euro 96 was hostile from the off with both fans heavily booing each other’s national anthem before the game.



Shortly after David Kelly put Ireland 1-0 up, England fans began ripping up seats and throwing missiles. Referee Dick Jol abandoned the game before riot police intervened. Fifty people were injured on the night.



An eye-opening documentary from the day of the game



Part two

Brazil v Chile (1989)

Chile had to win this 1990 World Cup qualifier to retain any hope of making it to Italy the following summer. Not long into the second half they looked doomed after going 1-0 down in Rio.



Haunting: The image of Roberto Rojas covered in blood hit front pages around the world

Then in an extraordinary incident, a flare thrown on the field caused Chile goalkeeper Roberto Rojas to go down with his head bloodied. This forced Chile players to walk off and not return for fears of their safety.



It later emerged that the flare had not hit Rojas and he had caused his own injury with a razor blade in his glove. As a result Chile were banned by FIFA from the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.



Zimbabwe v South Africa (2000)

A 2002 World Cup qualifier in Harare was bought to a fatal end as a result of stampeding from the home crowd late in the second half.



After the visitors had gone 2-0 up, Delron Buckley’s celebrations provoked a reaction among the home fans, with players quickly forced off as the atmosphere grew in hostility.



This led to police firing tear gas in to the crowd that caused the situation to worsen, resulting in the stampedes which crushed 13 people to deaths.



Crucial: A South African player reacts to tear gas fired by Zimbabwe police



