Bastia's supporters invade the pitch to try to fight with Lyon's Portuguese goalkeeper Anthony Lopes (in red) and players during their warm up prior to the French L1 Football match between Bastia and Lyon on April 16, 2017, at the Armand Cesari stadium, in Bastia, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica.PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA/AFP / Getty Images
A French league match between Bastia and Lyon was abandoned at halftime after fans from the Corsican side twice invaded the pitch to attack opposition players.
After kickoff was delayed by 55 minutes, the game was stopped for good when more trouble erupted at the interval with the score at 0-0.
Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was calmly walking off the field – after referee Amaury Delerue whistled the end of the first half – when he was confronted by a man. Lopes pushed him back as clashes erupted between home fans and Lyon players.
Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, who was rested for the game, took to Twitter to express his anger. "Pfff, shameful!!" Lacazette wrote. "Nonsense!!!!"
The first pitch invasion took place about 15 minutes before the end of the warmup at Armand Cesari stadium when supporters from the Bastia 1905 group of fans came on the field and jostled with Lyon players, including Memphis Depay and Mathieu Gorgelin. Players from both teams went back to their changing rooms before calm was restored. None of the players involved in the two brawls appeared to be injured.
The game was abandoned in accordance with French authorities' guidance following the urgent meeting that took place before the game. The French league said in a statement that, after the first trouble, it had been decided that the match could go ahead but would be stopped if another incident happened.
It was the second time this week that a Lyon game was marred by fan violence. Lyon is facing likely sanctions from UEFA after crowd disorder delayed its Europa League home quarterfinal against Besiktas midweek.
The French league said its disciplinary commission would investigate and urged Bastia to ban the fans responsible.
"The French league is asking Bastia to take all necessary measures in order to issue stadium bans against those responsible for these acts," the league said. "And more generally to take all measures required to guarantee the security of matches played in its stadium."
Last-placed Bastia, which has struggled the whole season, risks seeing its slim hopes of staying in the top flight hit by heavy sanctions, possibly including points deduction.
Lyon is fourth, some 19 points behind third-placed Nice, and can't secure a top-3 finish.
––– NANTES 0, BORDEAUX 1
Bordeaux's sixth away win of the season boosted its hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.
Younousse Sankhare's winner in the 65th minute lifted the visitors to fifth place with five matches left to play.
Sankhare scored his fourth goal this season from Fancois Kamano's assist with a low shot under 'keeper Maxime Dupe.