Ball boy injured after fan riot disrupts Cypriot soccer match between APOEL Nicosia and AEL Limassol

The Cypriot first-division match between APOEL Nicosia and AEL Limassol has been interrupted for more than two hours, after fan clashes and the injury of a ball boy.

Riot police were required to intervene and the match finished amid near-empty stands on Monday.

Referee Demetris Mashias halted play late into the first half in Limassol after a ball boy appeared to have been hurt by a firecracker thrown from a section of APOEL supporters.

He was taken away by ambulance to a private clinic.

The match resumed a half hour later until Mashias again whistled a stop to play when fans began showering the pitch with flares.

Some opposing fans then made it to the edge of the pitch and began hurling objects at each other.

Police in full riot gear moved in to keep them apart.

Match officials and the players returned to the dressing rooms for a second time with everyone expecting that it would be abandoned.

However, after more than an hour and with the majority of fans filed out of the stadium, the match resumed to a nearly vacant Tsirion Stadium and finished 0-0.