Football fan chaos in Indonesia follows Ratchaburi FC’s victory
A chaotic scene unfolded last night in Indonesia when Thailand's Ratchaburi FC secured a 3-1 aggregate victory over Indonesia’s Persib Bandung.
Displeased with the result, Indonesian fans threw items from the stands onto the pitch and even invaded the field.
Due to the turmoil, the Thai players were unable to celebrate their victory and were forced to rush back to their dressing room for safety.
Thai fans in the stadium joined the players in the dressing room to avoid further unrest.
Ratchaburi FC later posted a video on its social media platforms showing Indonesian supporters throwing items onto the pitch, as well as the Thai players running in panic back to the dressing room.
The club described the post-match atmosphere as chaotic, with loud noises, believed to be fireworks, being heard.
In the video, some supporters were seen storming the field and heading towards the Thai players.
This prompted a swift evacuation of Ratchaburi's staff and players, who were escorted to their dressing room under police protection until the situation calmed down.
The players and staff were later escorted to the airport by police, with a full security detail accompanying them throughout their departure.
Meanwhile, Thai fans in the stands were advised by local police to remove Ratchaburi flags and emblems and leave the area quickly. They were safely escorted to the team bus.
During the match itself, Persib Bandung took an early lead, with Andrew Jung scoring in the 38th minute to give them a 1-0 advantage.
Before halftime, however, a Persib player was sent off after a dangerous challenge, leaving the hosts with 10 players. The second half saw no further goals, resulting in Ratchaburi’s 3-1 aggregate victory.
This historic win marked Ratchaburi FC's first-ever qualification for the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.
Ratchaburi now prepares for their quarterfinal clash, where they will face either Japan’s Gamba Osaka or South Korea’s Pohang Steelers in a two-legged tie.