Boris Streubel/Getty Images
Someone threw a firecracker at an international soccer match! Poland had a 1-0 lead over Romania, when a firecracker was tossed onto the field and exploded by Poland’s forward player Robert Lewandowski. Almost immediately, he fell to the floor with his hands over his face. The incident occurred in Bucharest, Romania, this Friday afternoon.
Checks out this tweet that shows us this very unscheduled and unfortunate event as it unfolds:
https://twitter.com/LobozMarcin/status/797182002298556416
Sports analyst Chris Reiko tweeted his concerns for Lewandowski, suggesting to his followers to pray for the hurt soccer player.
https://twitter.com/ChrisReiko/status/797182491127779328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Former manager of the Poland team Franciszek Smóda also tweeted about Friday’s incident in a Romanian soccer field. He said, “About the seriousness of the situation, let the fact that even scared off #RUMPOL is no match.” Smóda also posted a photo, which shows Lewandowski covering his face next to a cloud of smoking rising from the ground where the firecracker fell.
https://twitter.com/Franek_S/status/797186214755344384
The game had to be suspended for 10 minutes as Lewandowski received medical attention. But that flare or firecracker didn’t hold down the Bayern star for long. He would return later in the game, prime to compete as he scored twice, securing a victory for the Polish team with a flawless victory (besides one unsanctioned firecracker incident that couldn’t keep this devoted soccer play down). In the end, Poland would defeat Romania with a score of 3-0.
But that miniature explosion that rattled a soccer player wasn’t the only time a flare was thrown onto the field. Earlier in the evening, another hooligan threw a flare onto the field and burned a hole through the top of a goal net. And during the first half of the game, soccer hooligans were battling it out from both sides of the stands. Sports and nationalism can come together with a wild frenzy inside a soccer stadium. Country versus country, team versus team. A lot of pride is on the line for the players and the fans. So, things can get pretty heated. Sports, pride, nationalism, testosterone, and alcohol are definitely not a good mix.
Last year, riot police were called to break up the fight between Romanian and Hungarian soccer fans in Budapest, the Hungarian capital. That wasn’t the case this time around.
Hats off to Robert Lewandowski. He came back after a scary ordeal with an exploding firecracker and ended up finishing the game and giving his team two more points to win. He’s like a soccer superhero!
