WORLD CUP - HOSTILE RECEPTION FOR BULGARIA AS THEY ARRIVE IN ARMENIA
Yahoo Eurosport UK / Reuters
Oct 10 2013
Objects were thrown and a tirade of abuse from dozens of local fans
was chanted when Bulgaria arrived at Yerevan Airport ahead of Friday's
World Cup qualifier against Armenia.
Reuters
Armed security forces formed a tight cordon to allow the players to
get on the team bus through a smoke of red flares and deafening noise
from the crowd.
Angry home fans booed the players and coaches. They also threw eggs,
fireworks and other objects and cried 'Bulgarian gypsies'.
"If someone was aiming to scare the team ... I can tell you it wasn't
achieved," visiting coach Luboslav Penev told reporters on Thursday.
"But I don't want to comment on things unrelated to football. There
are people and commissions who deal with these issues."
In September 2012 Armenia filed a protest with FIFA about "poor
officiating" and the treatment they received from the home team during
a 1-0 qualifying defeat in Bulgaria.
Armenia finished the Group B match in Sofia with nine men after Swiss
referee Stephan Studer sent off Marcos Pinheiro in the 73rd minute
and Gevord Gazaryan four minutes later.
After the match Armenian fans said they were racially abused by
home supporters.
Play-off hopefuls Bulgaria, who have not reached the World Cup finals
since 1998, are second with 13 points from eight matches, seven behind
Italy who have already qualified for next year's finals in Brazil.
Denmark are third on 12 points followed by both Czech Republic and
Armenia on nine.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/football-hostile-reception-bulgaria-arrive-armenia-182400733--sow.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/10/uk-soccer-world-bulgaria-idUKBRE9990WB20131010
Yahoo Eurosport UK / Reuters
Oct 10 2013
Objects were thrown and a tirade of abuse from dozens of local fans
was chanted when Bulgaria arrived at Yerevan Airport ahead of Friday's
World Cup qualifier against Armenia.
Reuters
Armed security forces formed a tight cordon to allow the players to
get on the team bus through a smoke of red flares and deafening noise
from the crowd.
Angry home fans booed the players and coaches. They also threw eggs,
fireworks and other objects and cried 'Bulgarian gypsies'.
"If someone was aiming to scare the team ... I can tell you it wasn't
achieved," visiting coach Luboslav Penev told reporters on Thursday.
"But I don't want to comment on things unrelated to football. There
are people and commissions who deal with these issues."
In September 2012 Armenia filed a protest with FIFA about "poor
officiating" and the treatment they received from the home team during
a 1-0 qualifying defeat in Bulgaria.
Armenia finished the Group B match in Sofia with nine men after Swiss
referee Stephan Studer sent off Marcos Pinheiro in the 73rd minute
and Gevord Gazaryan four minutes later.
After the match Armenian fans said they were racially abused by
home supporters.
Play-off hopefuls Bulgaria, who have not reached the World Cup finals
since 1998, are second with 13 points from eight matches, seven behind
Italy who have already qualified for next year's finals in Brazil.
Denmark are third on 12 points followed by both Czech Republic and
Armenia on nine.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/football-hostile-reception-bulgaria-arrive-armenia-182400733--sow.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/10/uk-soccer-world-bulgaria-idUKBRE9990WB20131010