Egyptian football league outfit Ismaily SC have been reinstated with immediate effect to the African Champions League following their expulsion from the continental club competition.
The match was not allowed to reach completion, as the referee brought an end to the frantic game in stoppage time following some crowd troubles.
Ismaily SC fans were pictured throwing stones and water bottles at an assistant referee and the opposition fans, prompting match officials to take drastic action, eventually ending the game in stoppage time.
Tunisia’s Club Africain looked set for a big win against Ismaily, leading with a narrow 2-1 margin before the whistle was sounded to protect the fans and officials from the ensuing chaos at the stadium.
The Egyptian club’s lawyer Nasser Azam confirmed in a statement that the club has been reinstated to the African Champions League following their appeal against the disqualification.
Soon after, African football governing body CAF confirmed its decision to reinstate the Egyptian club after a successful appeal against their earlier disqualification.
They revealed that since there was no pitch invasion and no evidence of an attack on the visiting team, the club’s appeal has been granted, effectively reinstating the club into the Champions League.
Only two clubs from a group of four will qualify for the quarter finals of the Champions League, with Algerian side CS Constantine and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo completing Group C.
Egypt were announced as the new hosts of the 2019 African Cup of Nations after Cameroon were stripped of their hosting rights last month due to security concerns and poor preparation.