Five fans injured as fireworks halt Cambuur match against Feyenoord
Five supporters were injured and play was suspended for 30 minutes after Feyenoord fans threw pyrotechnics onto the pitch and into home stands at Kooi Stadion.
Fireworks halt match at Kooi Stadion
In the 12th minute of the league fixture between SC Cambuur and Feyenoord at the Kooi Stadion in Leeuwarden, visiting supporters in the away enclosure ignited pyrotechnics and hurled fireworks onto the pitch and into an adjacent stand. Five Cambuur supporters sustained injuries, suffering burns, hearing damage, and eye injuries, according to medical reports released by the host club. Feyenoord goalkeeper Tjark Ernst narrowly avoided a rocket that landed near his goal area before sprinting toward the dressing rooms. Match referee Danny Makkelie immediately halted play and directed both squads off the field. In the family stands, spectators including parent Ernst Jan Walstra and his six-year-old son in section 21 fled from incoming flares during Cambuur's second home fixture of the season.
Protocol rules and resumption of play
The contest was interrupted for 30 minutes while Makkelie conferred with representatives from the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and the local Leeuwarden municipal authorities. Under official KNVB regulations, a match is abandoned permanently only if a player, coach, or referee is struck directly by pyrotechnics. Makkelie explained that immediate police intervention inside the away section was unfeasible because individuals disguised themselves under a large tifo banner and wore balaclavas amidst heavy smoke. Despite full body searches at the turnstiles, substantial quantities of pyrotechnics were brought into the stadium.
According to the rules, the perpetrators must first be arrested, but unfortunately that is not possible now. They were wearing balaclavas and there was a lot of smoke.
- Match suspended as Feyenoord supporters launch pyrotechnics at the pitch and stands
- Referee Danny Makkelie resumes play after safety review with local authorities
- Gjivai Zechiël scores opening goal for Feyenoord
- Luciano Valente doubles Feyenoord's lead to 0-2
- Feyenoord leads 0-4 following a Jansen own goal and Ueda penalty
- Feyenoord wins 2-5 after two goals from El Arguioui and one from Zechiël
Leadership and supporter condemnation
Feyenoord general director Robert Eenhoorn condemned the behavior of the travelling contingent during post-match interviews, stating that the club will review security camera footage to identify offenders and issue lifetime stadium bans. The official Feyenoord supporters association, De Feijenoorder, released a statement explicitly distancing the wider fan base from those responsible and urging fans never to endanger other spectators. Former Feyenoord player and columnist Willem van Hanegem also criticized the pyrotechnic throwers in a national newspaper column.
It is unbelievable to me that this happened. These people are not there for the club, but for themselves. When you talk about being a Feyenoord supporter or not, you can put a cross through those guys.
Match outcome and stadium security questions
Following the half-hour suspension, Feyenoord took control of the match through goals from Gjivai Zechiël in the 16th minute and Luciano Valente in the 25th minute. An own goal by Cambuur goalkeeper Thijs Jansen and a penalty converted by Ayase Ueda expanded the away side's lead to 0-4 before the interval. Cambuur coach Johan Plat stated that the sudden stoppage disrupted his team's early defensive structure, keeping Cambuur on zero points in the league table. Rafik El Arguioui scored twice for the hosts in the second half before Zechiël added his second goal to secure a 2-5 victory for Feyenoord. The disorder follows previous pyrotechnic disruptions at the Kooi Stadion involving visiting supporters from Vitesse and ADO Den Haag during the previous season.
