One man detained for pitch encroachment following Everton-Hajduk Split match
Trouble flared in the first half of the Goodison Park encounter.
Merseyside Police detained one man as trouble flared during Thursday night’s Europa League play-off between Everton and Hajduk Split at Goodison Park.
The disturbance occurred in the away end during the first half of Everton’s 2-0 win, with missiles being thrown and advertising boards kicked over as supporters surged towards the pitch.
As stewards and police moved to try to bring the situation under control, the players were instructed to leave the field by Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak and the game was halted for several minutes.
The man was detained for pitch encroachment but no further arrests were made, Merseyside Police confirmed, and the rest of the match and its aftermath passed by without notable incident.
Police had anticipated the potential for trouble, with policing levels similar to those for the Merseyside derby against Liverpool.
UEFA is awaiting the disciplinary report before deciding whether to take action but is expected to investigate.
Hajduk Split have already been sanctioned during this season’s Europa League qualifiers for the behaviour of their supporters.
UEFA ordered a partial stadium closure for the home leg of their third-round qualifying clash with Brondby following racist chanting by supporters in the previous round against Levski Sofia.
Hajduk Split were also fined 30,000 euros (£27,300) for the chanting and a further 5,000 euros (£4,500) for the throwing of objects.
It is not the first time the club have been sanctioned by UEFA, with their fines over the last decade totalling more than 700,000 euros (£638,000).
Michael Keane’s header had given Everton the lead in the 30th minute just prior to the disturbance and Idrissa Gueye doubled the advantage in the 45th minute.
Regarding the crowd trouble, manager Ronald Koeman said: “I was disappointed.
“I like to have it really fair, that you can play football, and we needed to stop. I don’t know what happened, it was in the corner.”
Everton will travel to Croatia for the second leg of the play-off next Thursday, with a place in the group stages at stake.
