Senegal sanctioned by FIFA for fan unrest

Senegal and Nigeria have been ordered by FIFA to play one match behind closed doors after fans threw laser pointers at Egypt’s Mohamed Salah in a penalty shootout during a World Cup playoff game.

When Salah prepared to take his penalty, his face was a blur of dazzling green light, which he blasted over the bar.

Senegal went on to win the penalty shootout in Dakar in March, with Sadio Mané, Salah’s Liverpool teammate, landing the game-winning penalty.

A pitch invasion by Senegalese fans, an insulting banner, and the national federation’s “failure to ensure that law and order is maintained in the stadium” were all investigated by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.

Senegal has also been ordered to play a competitive match in an empty stadium in the future.

Several more fines and stadium closures were also given down by the FIFA disciplinary panel, which heard dozens of identical incidents from World Cup qualifying games played since January.

Nigeria was fined 150,000 Swiss francs ($154,000) and had their stadium closed for one game.

After Nigeria was ousted from the playoffs at home by Ghana, fans invaded the field in Abuja, and there were additional episodes of disorder.

In comparable incidents, FIFA fined Congo 125,000 Swiss francs ($128,000) and Lebanon 100,000 Swiss francs ($103,000) in games against Morocco and Syria, respectively.

Both teams were given one-game stadium closures.

Fans of Chile and Colombia were fined 95,000 Swiss francs ($98,000) and 55,000 Swiss francs ($56,500) respectively for discrimination at their home games, as well as other infractions.