'Unfortunate that bottles filled with urine were thrown': MSC Secretary General

Mohammedan Sporting's General Secretary, Bilal Ahmed Khan, vehemently condemned the unruly crowd behaviour during the club's Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 clash against Kerala Blasters at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Sunday.

The match was briefly paused by the referee after frustrated Mohammedan Sporting fans disrupted the game following his decision not to award a penalty in the dying minutes of regular time.

"I don't want to comment on the match itself—that's the responsibility of the referee and the players. Mohammedan Sporting's qualification for the ISL is the result of tremendous dedication and hard work. Refereeing decisions are part of the game, and reacting the way we did was not right. Whether the referee was wrong or not, we can always write a letter to the AIFF, but imagine the consequences if the match had been canceled. It would have been a massive setback for us," Bilal told Revsportz Bangla after the match.

Fans were seen throwing bottles, stones, projectiles, and even wooden logs onto the field. Kerala Blasters fans also shared photos and videos on social media, showing projectiles being thrown at them in the away stand by Mohammedan Sporting fans. Some fans were even seen climbing the fence that separates the stands from the ground.

The referee was eventually forced to halt play and instructed the players to return to their technical areas. During this pause, Mohammedan Sporting defender Samad Ali Mallick appealed to the fans to calm down.

"It is very unfortunate that bottles filled with urine were thrown," Bilal added.

"I urge every Mohammedan Sporting fan club to step up and educate fans about the penalties they could face for such behaviour. Fans should enjoy the game and avoid unnecessary excitement. I'm genuinely ashamed of the incident. Everyone knows how costly it is to throw bottles onto the pitch. Referee mistakes are dealt with by the referee's association, and they are punished accordingly. I've never seen this kind of behavior in the ISL," Bilal said.

Mohammedan Sporting took an early lead in the 28th minute, with Mirjalol Kasimov converting a penalty. Although Kerala Blasters responded with a flurry of attacks, the score remained 1-0 at half-time.

In the second half, Kerala Blasters levelled the score with Kwame Peprah finding the back of the net in the 67th minute. The Blasters then dominated the game, with Jesus Jimenez sealing the contest in the 75th minute.