German Soccer Match Suspended After Referee Is Showered With Beer

The third-tier match between Zwickau and Ros-Weiss Essen was tied at halftime.

A German soccer game was suspended Sunday after a fan threw a beer in the face of a referee during halftime.

Zwickau was hosting Rot-Weiss Essen in a third-tier match in which it faced relegation, and the two teams were tied 1-1 after the first half of play. Before the first half expired, referee Nicholas Winter gave Zwickau defender Nils Butzen a red card while also awarding Essen a free kick off a hand ball. Essen forward Simon Engelmann took advantage of the kick, scoring the equalizing goal right before halftime.

As Winter was walking off the field at the break, one fan drenched him with beer.

Bloody hell 🤯

Zwickau’s crucial fixture versus Essen has been stopped at half time.

Someone showered the referee in I presume beer and that was that.

What happens now?#3Liga #Zwickau #FSVRWEpic.twitter.com/vcOA9WTGVW

— DDR-Fußball • in English (@Fussball_DDR) April 23, 2023

It is currently unclear whether the match will be resumed. Zwickau is currently just two points out of last place and facing possible relegation, while Essen is No. 15 in the standings out of 20 teams. Both teams have five games left in the regular season, which concludes May 27.