Ligue 1 clash Montpellier v Clermont abandoned as firework leaves goalkeeper stretchered off | OneFootball

Highlights

Pause

Unmute

Current Time 0:00

/

Duration 4:23

Loaded: 1.54%

Fullscreen

A Ligue 1 clash between Montpellier and Clermont had to be abandoned after a firework was thrown at Mory Diaw in the Clermont goal. The firecracker went off in the shot-stopper's face, and he had to be stretchered off of the pitch and the game was quickly suspended as a result.

It was a despicable move and seriously endangered the goalkeeper, who will hopefully make a swift recovery. Footage of the moment has since emerged online as well, and it's quite shocking. The firework was snuck into the ground by a fan, who then threw it onto the pitch at the keeper's feet. It occurred just as the game entered injury time, with the home side winning 4-2, but forced the referee to abandon proceedings after it was made clear that the keeper couldn't continue.

It was a shocking turn of events and while it's unclear who threw the firework, hopefully they'll be identified in the near future and a necessary punishment will be handed out. It's ridiculous that we're in 2023 and some fans still think it's acceptable to throw objects like this at a footballer from the stands. It's a shame as well, as the incident followed what had been a pretty entertaining game of football.

How was Montpellier v Clermont?

The Ligue 1 fixture was incredibly entertaining with a handful of goals and a pair of red cards on offer for fans. The home side took the lead twice in the first-half, before being pegged back both times. The second half was a different kettle of fish, though, as goals from Teji Savanier and Mousa Al-Taamari put them two in front.

The goals weren't the only drama, though, with Maxime Esteve sent off during the contest. It's a real shame that a match as entertaining as that was brought to a premature end due to the stupid action of a fan. Those actions are particularly stupid considering Montpellier had the two-goal lead and the actions of one of their fans means they didn't get the win and may actually be facing a serious punishment as a club because of it.

What actually happened with Mory Diaw?

In the closing stages of the game, the firework was thrown onto the pitch and landed at the feet of Diaw in the Clermont goal. As it went off, he was struck and dropped to the ground as a result. Shortly afterwards, he was stretchered off of the pitch and the game was stopped. Footage of the incident has been released online and can be viewed below.

Shocking, right? The referee of the contest, Florent Batta, spoke to the media shortly afterwards and revealed what had happened, saying: "The doctor who examined the Clermont goalkeeper certified that he was not in a condition to return to the field. The match is therefore halted definitively."

Shockingly, Neto Borges responded to the incident by making an offensive gesture to the Montpellier fans and was shown a red card for his actions. Of course, it's not particularly acceptable to see a player swearing at spectators, but it felt quite justified in this sense, so it's surprising to see him being punished for it. Earlier today, an Arsenal fan confronted former player Samir Nasri in an aggressive manner during the Gunners' game against Manchester City. It's just another example of a football fan stepping way over the line, and it needs to stop.