AFCON 2015: Chaos at opening match in Equatorial Guinea

Police and security forces struggled to cope with home fans desperate to try and get inside the perimeter of the Estadio de Bata for the Group A opener between the host, Equatorial Guinea and Congo.

Although the crowd was peaceful, the process of check­ing tickets and allowing fans through gates could not cope with the sheer numbers of people trying to get inside an outer perimeter area about 400 metres from the stadium itself.

It appeared at times, as crowds pushed through, that there were people being crushed although the SSN HQ crew witnessed no serious injuries.

Police refrained from using tear gas to disperse crowds, instead opting to let off smoke canisters, throw water or squirt fire extinguishers. It had little effect.

The Estadio de Bata holds 34,000 people and with five African Heads of State in atten­dance at the opening matches in Group A, security was a high priority with large numbers of police and military personnel visible.

However, there was huge excitement at the prospect of an inexperienced Equatorial Guinea side playing at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Many people chose to come to the stadium to lend their support for the opener against Congo, rather than watch the game on TV.

One commander on the ground said that it was ex­pected and that by the time ev­eryone left it would be ‘okay’.

Nevertheless, thousands of fans without tickets did get inside the outer perimeter of the stadium.