North Korean players attack referee after 2-1 defeat by Japan

Some North Korean players tried to attack their referee, Rustam Lutfullin, after their 2-1 defeat by Japan in Asian Games quarter finals on Sunday.

In a video, the referee was surrounded by other officials who tried to calm the heated scene.

Daily Mail reports that the North Korean players were angered when Lutfullin awarded a penalty to Japan.

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With the confrontation drawing in the assistant referees and several security staff, the North Korean coach, Sin Yong Nam, also ran to his players to try to defuse the situation.

Sin Yong Nam defended his players after several clashes with match officials on the pitch in Hangzhou on Sunday, by saying that his team’s behaviour had been “acceptable” despite the chaos.