THIS is the shocking moment riot police stormed a pitch to protect the referee from being attacked by angry players.
The chaotic scenes occurred in Brazil during a cup game between top-flight side Botafogo and fourth-tier minnows Sergipe.
Incredibly, the underdogs Sergipe led the tie until the closing stages as they were cheered on by loyal home fans.
But the pressure increased when nine minutes of injury time were added on to the game.
Botafogo turned up the heat as they had several close corners in succession.
However, when the injury time had elapsed, referee Braulio da Silva Machado added on yet another 30 seconds so Botafogo could take a final set-piece.
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And unsurprisingly, the Samba giants finally netted an equaliser.
Rules in the Brazilian Cup mean the home side goes out if the result is a draw.
And furious Sergipe players, fans and coaching staff rushed the field as the final whistle was blown.
They surrounded Machado before several began to beat him, sparking a mass brawl.
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Even Sergipe’s president charged onto the pitch before being hit by a linesman armed with a stick.
And furious fans also joined the melee before riot police armed with shields emerged from the sidelines.
They thankfully managed to calm things down before the scenes became even wilder.
But Botafogo players and their boss, former Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk manager Luis Castro, still required a police escort to leave the field safely.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
