Senegal vs Ivory Coast Abandoned - ACON Qualifier

Ivory Coast were leading 2-0 on the night and 6-2 on aggregate when the match was stopped around the 73rd minute at the Stade Leopold Senghor.

Play was temporarily halted in the 65th minute when a person ran onto the pitch and almost reached Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba before being wrestled to the ground and escorted off the field.

Drogba had given his side the lead in the 51st minute with a free-kick and the former Chelsea man then made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 70th minute.

Following that second goal there were disturbances in the stands, with small fires being set alight and objects reportedly being thrown as players and staff from both teams grouped together in the centre circle.

A host of Barclays Premier League-based players were involved in the match, including Newcastle pair Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse lining up for Senegal, along with West Ham's Mohamed Diame.

In Ivory Coast's starting line-up were Arsenal striker Gervinho, Manchester City brothers Yaya and Kolo Toure, and Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote.

City said on their official website: "City's Yaya and Kolo Toure are both safe after crowd trouble halted play as Senegal hosted the Ivory Coast in Dakar.

"Disturbances broke out as Didier Drogba put the Elephants 2-0 up, after what was deemed a controversial penalty decision in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

"Fires were started in the stands at Stade Leopold Senghor and missiles were launched on to the pitch before the players were escorted to safety.

"Yaya and Kolo were both involved in the second leg clash and early reports suggest the brothers are unharmed."

Zzonked wrote:Does than mean Ivory Coast are through?