Corinthians replay against Santos was abandoned after a pitch invasion which followed a controversial penalty. The referee called a halt to the game and declared Corinthians 2-3 winners.
The game was a replay of a match declared void by the match-fixing scandal.
Santos supporters ran onto the field at the Vila Belmiro stadium after Carlos Alberto scored from the spot to put Corinthians 3-2 ahead in the 89th minute of Thursday’s game.
Santos, had won the original game 4-2 but the result was declared void after the referee, Edilson Pereira de Carvalho, was suspended on allegations that he took bribes from an gambling.
When Santos re-started the game after the third Corinthians goal, Santos player Giovanni juggled the ball and then hoofed it into the crowd in an apparent sign of protest.
‘He incited the supporters against the referee,’ said Lopes.
Almost immediately, Carlos Alberto was sent off for clashing with Santos goalkeeper Saulo, who was not dismissed, and fans invaded the pitch, forcing the teams to flee to the dressing-rooms.
An already tense game was made worse when a further red card was given to Santos substitute Luizao for elbowing a player one minute after coming on to the field and without touching the ball.
Corinthians returned a few minutes later but Santos did not come back out and the referee abandoned play when more fans ran onto the field.
Brazilian media said fans clashed with police outside the ground, damaging cars. Around 20 people were reported injured, none seriously.
‘This is all the result of the first game being voided,’ Santos Director Melo told Brazilian media. ‘If they hadn’t taken such an absurd decision, none of this would have happened.’
Santos captain Ricardinho told Brazilian television: ‘This game shouldn’t even have been happening.’
