Police have launched an investigation after multiple flares were lit and a brawl broke out at the end of an Australia Cup soccer match in Sydney’s inner-west on Sunday night.
Police were called to the game at Leichhardt Oval in Lilyfield after Sydney FC’s penalty shootout win against the Central Coast Mariners following reports a fight had broken out outside the stadium.
Officers from Leichhardt Police Area Command arrived about 7.30pm alongside the NSW Police riot squad and the crowd dispersed.
Stefan, 40, from The Entrance, said he was walking to the car park with his wife and daughter about 15 minutes after the game ended when a flare flew towards them.
“We heard all this commotion outside as we were walking out to the car park… saw a barrier getting thrown and sliding on the road while I was holding my daughter and then saw a flare flying over and landing [two metres] away from us,” he said.
“There was a lot of screaming and shouting, there were objects flying around us, I saw some rocks going past us and then basically saw the security guards running away, it was just the families that were in the stadium on their own.”
He said no formal procedures were being followed after the brawl broke out and it took about 15 minutes for police to arrive.
“We were speaking to Sydney supporters so no idea who that group was, but there was no lockdown procedure, no cops, no security.
“Total Shambles.”