Russia v Montenegro European Qualifier Resumes Despite Flare Incident

Euro 2016 Group G qualifier resumed after a suspension caused by a flare attack by a fan.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Euro 2016 Group G qualifier between Russia and Montenegro resumed on Friday after a 40-minutes suspension caused by a flare attack by a fan.

It has been announced that the game will be cancelled should a similar incident take place.

Russia 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.

The press service for the Russian team told R-Sport that Akinfeev remains fully conscious. The character of his trauma is to be determined during an examination.

Russian goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin replaced Akinfeev on the field.

The stadium’s employee told R-Sport that the attacker was quickly identified.