Soccer

Abandoned Belgium-Sweden Euro qualifier to count as 1-1 draw after shooting

No Uefa games are to be played in Israel until further notice

Swedish prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lays down flowers in Brussels. Photograph: Benoit Doppagne/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty
Swedish prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lays down flowers in Brussels. Photograph: Benoit Doppagne/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty
Thu Oct 19 2023 - 16:53

Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifier at home to Sweden will count as a 1-1 draw after Monday’s match was suspended at half-time and later abandoned after the fatal shooting of two Swedes in Brussels.

In statement on Thursday Uefa said its executive committee had ruled the match would not be replayed and that the score would stand, with each team awarded a point in Group F. The decision was made less complicated than it might have been because Belgium are assured of qualification and Sweden cannot reach the finals in Germany.

“To take the mentioned decision, the executive committee took note that it had proved impossible to play the remaining part of the match on the following day,” a statement read. “Both the Royal Belgian Football Association and the Swedish Football Association, given the circumstances, explicitly expressed their desire not to play the remaining match time and to consider the result at the halftime interval (1-1) as final.”

Belgium had raised the security alert status of Brussels to the highest level after a man, who identified himself as a member of Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the fatal shootings in a video posted online. A Tunisian gunman suspected of the killings died on Tuesday after being shot by police in a cafe.

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“At such a moment, when the football family is struck in its heart, sporting results are secondary,” Manu Leroy, interim CEO of the Belgian FA said. “With Uefa’s decision, the match has now been officially called off, but we will not forget the victims. Our thoughts are with their families, and the players, staff and supporters of the Swedish national team.”

Uefa also said on Thursday that no Uefa competition matches would be played in Israel until further notice. It means Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel-Aviv must find alternative venues. Israel are due to play two Euro qualifiers at home next month.

Maccabi Haifa’s Europa League game at Valencia next Thursday has been postponed until 6 December and Maccabi Tel-Aviv’s Europa Conference League home match against Zorya Luhansk has been put back from next Thursday to November 25th. – Guardian