PSG awarded abandoned UEFA Cup game

UEFA have confirmed Paris St Germain's place in the UEFA Cup second round following the abandonment due to floodlight failure…

UEFA have confirmed Paris St Germain's place in the UEFA Cup second round following the abandonment due to floodlight failure of their first round, second leg match against Rapid Bucharest on Tuesday.

European soccer's ruling body decided today that Rapid were to blame for the blackout and awarded the match to the French side 3-0.

PSG were leading 1-0 in the match and 1-0 on aggregate after Aloisio scored in extra-time at the Giulesti Stadium.

But with seven minutes remaining the ground was plunged into darkness and the match had to be abandoned when the problem could not be fixed.

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In a statement, UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body said that "the home club was to be considered responsible for the interruption of the match, in particular because - against UEFA's competition regulations - no emergency power supply was available in the stadium."

PSG were fined 15,000 Swiss francs ($9,330), however, "for having departed from Bucharest without UEFA's approval and before a decision was made about whether the match would have to be replayed the following day or not".

PSG left the ground for the airport and flew out of Romania shortly after midnight the same night.

UEFA rules state that the home team will forfeit the match in the event of a power failure if the back-up generator fails to work and the match cannot be restarted inside 45 minutes.

But if the power failure affects the wider area and is beyond the control of the home club, then the match can be replayed.

The local electricity supply company said the blackout affected the entire area of Giulesti where the stadium is located.

Both clubs have until midnight on Sunday to appeal the ruling. The draw for the second round will be made on Friday.