Denmark official caused post-match scuffle, says Chinese team insider
13/9/2007 16:59
An Denmark official hurled abuse at Chinese team after they lost
to the hosts 3-2 in a World Cup group game and caused an off-pitch scuffle
involing some members from both sides, according to local media reports
today.
Denmark head coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller seemed furious and refused to
shake hands with his Chinese counterpart Marika Domanski-Lyfors following his
side lost a crucial game to China on Wednesday.
"This was a very tight game
and it's natural he was somewhat upset, so we can understand he was unwilling to
shake hands with me. It is normal," Domanski-Lyfors told the post-match
conference.
Heiner-Moller made no comment on this matter, saying: "I think
FIFA will investigate it, and I now only want to concentrate on the
games."
Sina.com released a story early on Thursday morning disclosing what
really happened then.
It quoted a Chinese insider as saying: "After the
referee blew the buzzer, our players were celebrating on the turf, and the
Denmark players were very downcast. A Denmark official looking like an assistant
coach walked up to us and raised his middle finger toward us."
"He even
yelled a four-letter word at us. We could not bear it and made some arguments
with him, then Domanski came up and separated us.
"All this happened after
their head coach refused to shake hands," he said.
"The match was really
enthralling, though Denmark lost, they scored two goals. They should be honored
to display such performance before over 50.000 spectators. We should have
relished all these moments, so it's a really regret given what happened there,"
he went on.
"Before the game, we established that Denmark had planned to win
or draw with China. As they rarely beat Brazil, their last group opponents, so
in order to qualify for the knockout stage, they wanted to seize some points
from this game.
"They were very excited after scoring two goals in the second
half to make it 2-2, and never expected we could hit in a winner. I think the
goal scored by Song Xiaoli threw them into despair, which finally led to their
loss of temper," he said.
Denmark scored the equalizer in the 87th minute,
but one minute later substitute Song wrapped the game up for China with a
unstoppable long shot.
"The game was a roller coaster, their euphoria turned
into despondency in only one minute, so their mood must have been not good. But
whatever the reasons, it is unacceptable that one of their coaches became
foul-mouthed and made some obscene behaviors, " he was quoted as saying.
Xinhua
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