MEXICO CITY, May 8 (Reuters) - Fans invaded the pitch in a promotion playoff and water-breaks midway through each half at top flight matches, one of them played in the rain, caused a stir in Mexican football this weekend.
In the midst of the trouble and controversy, Guadalajara, the country's most popular club, and Cruz Azul reached the Mexican championship semi-finals.
Several people were injured and children had to be sheltered in the players' tunnels when dozens of angry fans broke down perimeter fencing and stormed onto the pitch in the 76th minute of Saturday night's match between Leon and Tijuana.
It took truncheon-wielding police 10 minutes to clear the pitch and restore order in the stands where fans were throwing objects onto the field, the sports newspaper Record and website www.mediotiempo.com reported.
Fans were apparently unhappy that hosts Leon were losing 2-0.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) made a brief mention of crowd trouble in a match report posted on its website (www.femexfut.org.mx), saying it was halted for a few minutes due to incidents in the tribunes.
The match was then re-started and there was no further scoring.
Tijuana qualified 3-0 on aggregate to meet Irapuato in the playoff final for a berth in the first division from which Necaxa have been relegated.
In the top flight, Guadalajara qualified for the Clausura championship semi-finals 4-2 on aggregate following a 1-1 second-leg draw against Tigres UANL.
Cruz Azul drew 0-0 with Atlante in the second leg of their quarter-final tie to go through 2-1 on aggregate.
The knockout phase of the championship, which began Wednesday, has featured water-breaks in all matches, which stop for one minute in the 25th minute of each half.
But the breaks led to controversy when television took advantage of them to broadcast advertisements.
Broadcasting giant Televisa said on Saturday it was no longer using the breaks for advertising after critics pointed out it could get Mexico into trouble with world governing body FIFA. The FMF was unavailable for comment.
"The worst thing is that this doesn't happen anywhere in the world," Rafarel Lebrija, sporting director of first division club Atlas, told reporters.
"(FIFA could impose a sanction) because this takes away the essence of football, an obligation to play two halves of 45 continuous minutes that is not being respected."
Players complained the breaks disturbed the rhythm of the game and were surprised they should have been implemented in night matches played in moderate temperatures, one of them in rain.
"It's just publicity for the federation, that's obvious. The rules say 45 minutes, there's no reason to cut that when it's 20 degrees," defender Duilio Davino of champions Monterrey told reporters.
In the midst of the trouble and controversy, Guadalajara, the country's most popular club, and Cruz Azul reached the Mexican championship semi-finals.
Several people were injured and children had to be sheltered in the players' tunnels when dozens of angry fans broke down perimeter fencing and stormed onto the pitch in the 76th minute of Saturday night's match between Leon and Tijuana.
It took truncheon-wielding police 10 minutes to clear the pitch and restore order in the stands where fans were throwing objects onto the field, the sports newspaper Record and website www.mediotiempo.com reported.
Fans were apparently unhappy that hosts Leon were losing 2-0.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) made a brief mention of crowd trouble in a match report posted on its website (www.femexfut.org.mx), saying it was halted for a few minutes due to incidents in the tribunes.
The match was then re-started and there was no further scoring.
Tijuana qualified 3-0 on aggregate to meet Irapuato in the playoff final for a berth in the first division from which Necaxa have been relegated.
In the top flight, Guadalajara qualified for the Clausura championship semi-finals 4-2 on aggregate following a 1-1 second-leg draw against Tigres UANL.
Cruz Azul drew 0-0 with Atlante in the second leg of their quarter-final tie to go through 2-1 on aggregate.
The knockout phase of the championship, which began Wednesday, has featured water-breaks in all matches, which stop for one minute in the 25th minute of each half.
But the breaks led to controversy when television took advantage of them to broadcast advertisements.
Broadcasting giant Televisa said on Saturday it was no longer using the breaks for advertising after critics pointed out it could get Mexico into trouble with world governing body FIFA. The FMF was unavailable for comment.
"The worst thing is that this doesn't happen anywhere in the world," Rafarel Lebrija, sporting director of first division club Atlas, told reporters.
"(FIFA could impose a sanction) because this takes away the essence of football, an obligation to play two halves of 45 continuous minutes that is not being respected."
Players complained the breaks disturbed the rhythm of the game and were surprised they should have been implemented in night matches played in moderate temperatures, one of them in rain.
"It's just publicity for the federation, that's obvious. The rules say 45 minutes, there's no reason to cut that when it's 20 degrees," defender Duilio Davino of champions Monterrey told reporters.
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