Croatian fury over World Cup final's game-changing 'Peter Hore' moment
It was the moment that turned the World Cup final into a farce – and now a Croatian defender has pointed to the second-half pitch invasion as their very own ‘Peter Hore’ moment.
Four members of the Pussy Riot feminist punk group descended on the Luzhniki Stadium field in the 52nd minute of France’s 4-2 win over Croatia.
Croatia, trailing 2-1 at the time, were on the attack when Veronika Nikulshina, Olga Kuracheva, Olga Pakhtusova and Pyotr Verzilov disrupted play.
Security chased the four around the ground, with Croatia defender Dejan Lovren even attempting to tackle one of the invaders himself.
The stoppage was relatively brief but 15 minutes later France had scored twice more to put one hand on the World Cup trophy.
Lovren was furious at the time and remained frustrated with the stoppage after watching his rivals lift the trophy.
“I really was mad because we’d been playing at that moment in good shape,” he said.
“We’d been playing good football and then some interruption came. I just lost my head and I grabbed the guy and I wished I could throw him away from the stadium.”
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The incident and subsequent events evoked memories of serial pest Peter Hore’s disruption of Australia’s 1998 World Cup qualifier against Iran at the MCG.
The Socceroos had just gone up 2-0 when Hore jumped the fence, and Iran later scored two goals to book their place in the French tournament.
Australian fans have never forgotten, turning their minds to that moment during the World Cup final:
So @pussyrrriot made their point on the world stage but all I cld think of was that fateful 1997 night @ MCG when @Socceroos were up 2-0 with 20min left in 2nd half, then Peter Hore invaded the pitch. We all know the ensuing pain of that result #WorldCupFinal #WorldCupFinal2018
— Christine Whyte (@ChristineWhyte) July 16, 2018
Pitch invasion had me of a mind of Peter Hore's vandalism of the net at the MCG in 1997 when #AUS and #IRN played to a 2-2 draw. #WorldCup
— Ron Flatter (@ronflatter) July 15, 2018
Don’t tell me Peter Hore made his way to Russia! #WorldCupFinal
— Elise Potter (@elisempotter) July 15, 2018
Peter Hore's pals have done a number on the tightest security sporting event on the planet. Four streakers in Moscow… wow #WorldCup
— Ben McKay (@benmackey) July 15, 2018
How did Peter Hore get a Russian visa?!?! #WorldCupFinal
— Declan Rooney (@DeclanRooney) July 15, 2018
The four Pussy Riot members have since been jailed for 15 days by a Moscow court.
According to the Mediazona court news website, they were found guilty of “grossly violating the rules for spectators’ behaviour” and given the maximum punishment possible under the charge.
with AFP