Didier Drogba and Premier League players caught up in Senegal riot⢠Referee abandons Africa Cup game with 20 minutes to go ⢠Ivory Coast were leading 2-0 before the match was called off The former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and seven Premier League players were caught up in a riot as Senegal's Africa Cup of Nations tie with Ivory Coast in Dakar was abandoned after police fired teargas inside the packed stadium when thousands of fans lit fires and threw rubbish in protest at the home team's show. The rioting forced the referee to abandon the second-leg qualifying tie with 20 minutes left and Ivory Coast leading 2-0 thanks to two goals from Drogba, the second from the penalty spot. The Premier League-based players involved in the match, included the Newcastle pair Demba Ba and Papiss Cissé lining up for Senegal, along with West Ham's Mohamed Diamé. In Ivory Coast's starting lineup were the Arsenal striker Gervinho, Manchester City brothers Yaya and Kolo Touré, and Newcastle midfielder Cheik Tioté. City said on their website: "City's Yaya and Kolo Touré 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 and early reports suggest the brothers are unharmed." Drogba, the captain of Ivory Coast who now plays for Shanghai Shenhua, had put his team 1-0 in front straight from a free-kick early in the second half. Both teams were escorted out of the ground by a ring of security forces. Five or six people were carried from the stadium on stretchers after the rioting, while hundreds of Ivory Coast fans huddled together on the field guarded by police as clashes continued in the streets outside. If the result stands, Senegal will go out of the competition. Ivory Coast beat Senegal 4-2 in the first leg in Abidjan last month.
Mali qualified so thats Samba, Cameroon are in turmoil and lost 2-0 to Cape Verde, they are desperate though so might overturn it in the 2nd leg. Morocco won easily...and Senegal lost. So that's Diakite, Taarabt and potentially Mbia. Traore isn't though.
Looked a bit dangerous, (click on photos to move to next one): http://www.repubblica.it/sport/2012...ra_e_fuga_dalla_stadio-44497792/1/?ref=FRAG-4
