MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Euro 2016 Group G qualifier between Russia and Montenegro was suspended on Friday after Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was hit by a flare on the first minute of the game in Podgorica.
German referee Deniz Aytekin ordered the teams back to the dressing rooms while Akinfeev was taken to a hospital with what appeared to be a serious injury.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko immediately described the incident as "an outrage" and suggested that the game should be cancelled.
"It is an utter disgrace!..I would cancel the game and call it a technical defeat [for Montenegro]. Let's wait and see," Mutko said in phone call with the R-Sport news agency.
