Sparta Rotterdam keeper confronted by fan and hit by object as game abandoned

The Eredivisie game between Vitesse and Sparta Rotterdam was suspended in added time after a plastic cup with beer in hit the away goalkeeper Maduka Okoye on the head. 

The goalkeeper had saved a penalty in the 64th minute and in the closing stages of the game, some supporters also started throwing fireworks onto the pitch. One of them injured a cameraman. 

In the added time, when the score was 0-1, a fan went onto the pitch and confronted Okoye, who responded by gesturing to him to leave the pitch. Then, a plastic cup with beer hit the keeper on the head, which made him fall to the floor. 

Referee Rob Dieperink stopped the game and in the dressing room, the Sparta Rotterdam players refused to come back out so the referee decided to abandon the game. 

Pascal van Wijk, Vitesse director general, told Dutch channel 'ESPN' that they have images of the people who threw objects onto the pitch and "they can expect a long ban from the ground."

"It's a dark day for the Vitesse family and their true fans, not for the two or three people who've ruined it," he added.

The incidents were in contrast to what happened before the game when the two teams came together in the middle of the pitch to form a V to represent the word 'Vrede' (peace) in Dutch. 

The KNVB announced that three options are being considered. Either the 0-1 result will stand and Vitesse will be awarded the win, the remaining time will be played or the game will be replayed in full.