World Cup qualifier halted after sinkhole emerges on pitch
Action was stopped during Austria’s 2026 World Cup qualifier versus Cyprus when a sinkhole unexpectedly opened up on the field late in the second half. This unusual event took place around the 75th minute, prompting Danish referee Jakob Kehlet to pause the match upon discovering the significant hole near Austria goalkeeper Alexander Schlager’s area at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz. The opening was large enough to engulf an entire football, leading ground staff to rush in with buckets of sand in a hurried effort to fix it. After over seven minutes of repair work, Kehlet eventually approved the continuation of play, with Austria securing a 1-0 victory thanks to Marcel Sabitzer’s penalty in the second half, struck before the collapse occurred. A portion of the pitch has literally given way during the game between Austria & Cyprus. The ground crew is racing back and forth with soil buckets to resolve the issue. Can’t recall having seen anything like this! pic.twitter.com/OECrF5jiGk— Harry Symeou (@HarrySymeou) September 6, 2025. This victory places Austria second in Group H qualifying, as they have won all three of their matches thus far, trailing unbeaten Bosnia and Herzegovina. Strikingly, this is not the first instance where Austrian football has encountered an earth collapse. In 2022, a Nations League match against Denmark, which Austria lost 2-1, at the Ernst Happel Stadium was also disrupted by a major sinkhole forming on the field. At least this time, Austria managed to secure the three points – although perhaps someone should consider consulting a geologist before their next game. The sinkhole emerged towards the end of the match. / Guenther Iby/GettyImagesREAD THE LATEST FASHION, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE CONTENT FROM 90MIN
Published: 2025-09-09 09:30:00
source: www.90min.com
