MOSCOW (AP) - Crowd trouble marred a Moscow derby between archrivals Spartak and CSKA on Saturday, with the Russian Premier League game briefly stopped as flares were thrown into groups of fans.
The referee halted the match for five minutes in the second half as the stadium filled with smoke from flares and other pyrotechnics, some of which were thrown into the stands.
There were no reports of injuries related to the incident, which appeared to start when CSKA fans threw flares into a Spartak section. Some were then thrown back at CSKA supporters. Steel fences between the sections containing Spartak and CSKA fans prevented fights at Otkritie Arena, which will be a venue for the 2018 World Cup.
Spartak coach Massimo Carrera, whose team won 3-1, said the CSKA fans’ behavior “spoiled the atmosphere a bit.”
There were also reports of fights between fans from rival teams at various locations in the Moscow metro system before the game, though the large police presence appeared to prevent major disorder.
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