Article by Daniel Grigore – Published on Tuesday, 02 December 2025, 14:39 / Updated on Tuesday, 02 December 2025 14:39
Ex-footballer Danny Koevermans calls for tough penalties after the match between Ajax and Groningen was interrupted because of the actions of some supporters. They lit torches and fireworks, and threw some of them onto the pitch, so the referee judged that the safety of the players could not be ensured and blew the whistle for a premature end to the match.
On Sunday, the match between Ajax and Groningen was abandoned due to the pyrotechnic show staged by the “lancers” gallery. It was the 5th minute when hundreds of torches lit up in the lawn behind Ajax's goal.
After an interruption of 43 minutes, an attempt was made to resume the game, but the behavior of the fans did not allow such a thing. Combined with the fireworks launched from the lawn, the torches and fumes lit by the spectators made it impossible for the game to be restarted safely.
“15 penalty points!” » Proposes harsh penalty for abandoned match: “That will really hurt”
Until the match is restarted, which will happen today at 15:30 without spectators, a former Dutch footballer, Danny Koevermans, with 169 Eredivisie games, called for tough penalties in such situations.
“You don't really feel three points, do you?” Koevermans asked. “Then go to -15 or something like that. Try something like that, because then it will really hurt the fans“, he also says, quoted by sportnieuws.nl.
The stadium will not be empty, according to the quoted source. That's because Ajax will be followed to work by a terminally ill fan. One of his last wishes was to see his favorite team in action one more time. He was at the stadium on Sunday, at the first attempt to play the match, he will be again today.
Until the Dutch Federation takes action, Ajax has decided for the next game at home, with Feyenoord, not to allow access to the sectors where the problem supporters, those from the F-side brigade, usually sit.
