Inside Brussels stadium, football fans chant ‘all together’ after shooting

BRUSSELS – Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden was abandoned at half-time and fans were kept in the stadium for security reasons after two Swedes were shot dead in an attack in Brussels on Monday.

Several Belgian media outlets said the duo were

wearing the Swedish national team jerseys.

The Tunisian gunman suspected of killing the supporters was

shot dead by police in a cafe

a day later.

The shooting comes at a time of heightened security concerns in some European countries linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict, though a Belgian federal prosecutor said there was no evidence that the attacker had any link to the war.

Spectators at the King Baudouin Stadium were told to remain inside the ground following an announcement that the players would not return for the second half.

“Following a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels this evening, it has been decided, after consultation with the two teams and local police, that the Uefa Euro 2024 qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden is abandoned,” Uefa said on its website.

Sweden’s football association said Belgian police had told supporters “to stay in the arena for security reasons”.

Mathieu van Overstraeten, who was with his daughter and her boyfriend at the stadium, said the crowd chanted “all together” and “Sweden” as they waited.

“We all tried to keep our spirits up. We also sang little songs for the Sweden supporters because it is especially for them that it is a very sad evening,” said football fan Jacques Decoq outside the stadium.

“We tried to stay warm with a little bit of atmosphere.”

Worried but relieved spectators left the stadium shortly before midnight after being held there for 2½ hours.

“Everyone remained very calm, the supporters started singing, there was an atmosphere, even if we were a little worried,” said Karen, who came from the Dutch province of Limburg with her family.

“I was stressed, I wondered how we were going to get back because we came by metro,” Manon Antoine, 21, told AFP, accompanied by her brother.

The Swedish supporters were the last to leave the stadium, where some 35,000 fans of the two teams had turned out for the Euro 2024 qualifier.

Manu Leroy, chief executive officer of the Belgian football association, said police had escorted the Swedish fans and players to “go straight to the airport and leave” because the perpetrator, who was said to be inspired by the Islamic State group, was then still on the run.

Belgium, who had already qualified for Euro 2024, had equalised through a Romelu Lukaku penalty after Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring for Sweden before the match was halted with the score at 1-1.

Uefa said the decision to abandon the game was taken after consultation with both teams and the Belgian authorities.

“I am terribly sad. We agreed 100 per cent not to play the second half because of the conditions and out of respect for the victims and their families,” said Sweden coach Janne Andersson, according to Swedish news agency TT.

Sweden captain Victor Lindelof added: “I tried to talk to all the players about how they felt. And then I felt that I wanted to speak to the Belgian players. I explained the situation and we were very clear that we did not want to carry on and they completely understood that.

“There are players who had family and friends here and we wanted to look after our fans. Those who had family and friends here wanted to make contact with them to see if they were OK. People were worried but our security team handled it very well.”

Both Lindelof and Andersson said there was no point resuming the match at a later date with Belgium having already qualified and Sweden no longer in contention.

Austria had earlier on Monday become the eighth team to book their place at the Finals in Germany,

courtesy of a 1-0 win in Azerbaijan

in the other Group F game.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer scored a penalty three minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute for Ralf Rangnick’s side. REUTERS, AFP