As soon as the team took to the pitch, they were bombarded with lasers to the point where they literally walked off in the 54th minute. No, this wasn’t Tron, dear readers, it was a soccer match. With laser pens!
The protesting team was Indonesia. They were playing Malaysia in the Asean Football Federation Cup finals first leg, and it would be the second time Malaysian fans attacked a team with lasers. Earlier, Vietnam lost 0-2 to Malaysia and complained of the very same thing.
Indonesia eventually returned to play the game out, but ultimately lost 0-3, possibly due to blindness. Whether it was from rage or the Malaysian laser pens we may never know.
Update: Is this an epidemic? Several readers have chimed in this evening to say that in previous matches Indonesian fans were also guilty of shooting opposing players in the face with lasers. Check out the 4:05 minute mark in this video, provided by reader Ikhwan:
Green laser to the keeper’s face, following the goal. Unacceptable, and apparently something both sides are guilty of at the AFF finals? [The Jakarta Post]
