BRUSSELS: Dozens of soccer fans scuffled and threw chairs after a live screening at a Belgian outdoor cafe of Poland’s 2-1 upset defeat by Senegal on Tuesday at the World Cup in Russia.

A police spokesman said on Wednesday that one person was hurt in the incident in the port city of Antwerp but no arrests were made.

Local newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen quoted police as saying some 40-50 people were involved.

Bar manager Johan Peeraer told the paper about 100 Poles and 30 Senegalese supporters were watching the game when things got tense towards the end.

“A bit of an argument started outside and it got out of hand and people started throwing chairs,” he said.

Disturbances around the four-yearly global soccer festival has been rare, a week into the month-long tournament.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2018

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