Fireworks force Swedish league derby suspension

A Stockholm soccer derby that could potentially decide the Swedish league‘s title race was suspended in the second half Sunday after Djurgarden supporters threw multiple fireworks onto the field.

The game between Hammarby and Djurgarden is set to resume Monday afternoon without fans after police ruled that the game organizers could not guarantee public safety if play was restarted.

Hammarby is second in the league table and was leading 2-0 in a game where a draw would hand rival Malmo the title with three rounds to spare. Djurgarden is tied on points with Hammarby, and a win would give either team a mathematical chance to overtake Malmo.

Djurgarden supporters set off multiple pyrotechnics with about 15 minutes left to play and the teams were taken off the field for about 50 minutes before a decision was made to finish the game without fans in the stands. But some supporters refused to leave, and police later announced that the game would have to be completed on Monday instead.

In contrast to most of Europe, Sweden’s Allsvenskan soccer league starts in the spring and ends in the fall.