The BOV Division Two match between promotion hopefuls Mellieħa and Gudja United was abandoned at half-time yesterday after referee Trustin Farrugia Cann was assaulted by Mellieħa’s Brazilian forward Tiago Loquete.
Second-placed Mellieħa and Gudja, five points behind the northerners in third place in the standings, had been engaged in a cagey and abrasive opening 45 minutes that produced no goals at the Centenary Stadium.
Farrugia Cann had already cautioned a couple of players before booking Tiago Loquete for a foul two minutes from half-time.
The Mellieħa forward claimed his innocence and continued to complain with the referee as the players were heading to the dressing rooms for the half-time break.
Farrugia Cann was about to show Loquete a second yellow card when the Brazilian attacked the referee and knocked him down.
This led to a commotion as security staff and police rushed on to the pitch to try and restore order as Loquete was also restrained by team-mates.
The match officials eventually made their way to the dressing rooms and a few minutes later, it emerged that the match had been abandoned as the referee was unfit to continue.
Loquete, 29, was seen leaving the Centenary Stadium in a police car after the incident as sources told The Times that the referee was treated for shock and minor injuries.
Mellieħa SC issued a statement yesterday expressing solidarity with Farrugia Cann and deploring Loquete’s behaviour, adding that he will be sanctioned by the club.
“The committee would like to make it clear that this kind of attitude will not be tolerated. The player (Loquete) acted irresponsibly and he will be suspended with immediate effect,” the statement, signed by secretary Sunny Abela, said.
The Malta FA and Malta Football Referees Association (MFRA) condemned Loquete’s attack on the referee.
“The MFA and MFRA would like to stress that any kind of physical abuse on match officials will not be tolerated and that, both in this case as well as in any other situation where there is aggression towards the match officials, disciplinary action will be taken against the culprits,” the two associations said in a joint statement.