For the second time in a week, Hapoel Tel Aviv's own supporters brought the whistle to a Conference League tie against Ludogorets Razgrad — this time in Bulgaria, where the referee was forced to suspend the return leg just two-and-a-half minutes after kick-off.
ONE reports that travelling Hapoel fans set off a barrage of smoke grenades and flares inside the away section at the Huvepharma Arena, filling the stands and part of the pitch with thick smoke that left the officials with little choice but to stop play until visibility cleared.
The stoppage lasted around six minutes before the match was able to restart, with no reported injuries or further disruption once play resumed, according to the report.
It is a repeat of what happened in the first leg in Hungary last week, when a similar pyrotechnic display by Hapoel supporters — the club's fans are known as 'the Reds' — held up that match for roughly five minutes early on.
Hapoel Tel Aviv had made a memorable return to European competition after a 12-year absence in that first meeting, winning 2-0 through goals from Omri Altman and Chico to take a commanding lead into the second leg.
Because of ongoing security arrangements affecting Israeli clubs' home European fixtures, that first leg was staged away from Israel, in Hungary, rather than at Hapoel's own ground — with the return fixture instead played at Ludogorets' regular home in Razgrad.
Back-to-back pyrotechnic incidents in the same tie are the kind of pattern UEFA disciplinary panels tend to notice, and Hapoel Tel Aviv could face scrutiny — and potentially a fine or restrictions on away allocations for future European fixtures — once match delegates file their reports from both legs.
ONE's report did not include the state of play on the pitch at the time of writing; the second leg was still under way when this article was published, with Hapoel Tel Aviv's 2-0 aggregate lead from the first leg giving them the advantage heading into Thursday's game.
