Scores killed Today in riots after Egypt soccer match.

(Egyptian football fans rush to the field
during clashes after a football match)
CAIRO -- Soccer fans stampeded the field and
rioted Wednesday after a match between
fierce rivals in the port city of Port Said,
attacking each other with fists, stones,
fireworks and bottles. More than 70 people
were killed in one of the worst incidents of
sports violence in Egypt's history.
The melee broke out after fans of Al-Masry,
the home team in Port Said, stormed the
field after a rare 3-1 win against Al-Ahly,
Egypt's top team. Al-Masry supporters hurled
sticks and stones as they chased players and
fans from the rival team, who ran toward
the exits to escape, according to witnesses.
State TV footage showed Al-Ahly players
rushing for their locker room as fistfights
broke out among the crowd. Some men had
to rescue a manager from the losing team
as he was being beaten. Black-clothed police
officers stood by, appearing overwhelmed.
Rival fans shot firebombs and fireworks and
threw stones, bottles and other objects at
each other and some players.
A health ministry official in Port Said said at
least 73 people were killed. Hundreds of
people were injured.
Hesham Sheiha, a health ministry official,
told state TV, most of the deaths were
caused by concussions, deep cuts to the
heads and suffocation from the stampede,A medic at a morgue said., a city on
the Mediterranean coast, said some of the
dead were security officers.
"This is unfortunate and deeply saddening.
It is the biggest disaster in Egypt's soccer
history," deputy health minister Hesham
Sheiha told state television. The players were
later taken to the locker room for protection,
Sayed Hamdi, a player, told state TV.
Egypt Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein
Tantawi, the head of the country's ruling
military council, ordered two helicopters be
sent to Port Said to evacuate Ahly team
members and injured fans.
Witnesses said most of the deaths appeared
to have occurred in a stampede after fans of
Al-Masry stormed the field. They then chased
players and fans from the rival team.
Ahly player Mohamed Abo Treika described
the violence as war.
"This is not football. This is a war and people
are dying in front of us. There is no
movement and no security and no
ambulances," he told the Ahly television
channel. "I call for the premier league to be
canceled. This is horrible situation and today
can never be forgotten.One of the fans died in the dressing room,”
Ahmed Nagi, an Ahly goalkeeping coach,
said on Egyptian state television. “And there
are thousands of wounded lying in the
hallways.”
Soon after the violence, another scheduled
soccer game in Cairo between the Al-
Ismailiya and Zamalek teams was called off
in mourning for the violence in Port Said.
Egyptian state TV showed protesters setting
fire to Cairo Stadium by angry fans. Flames
roared from the upper decks.
Al-Ahly fans, known as the Ultra Ahlys,
gathered in protest outside the clubs office
in Cairo.
Politics cuts deep across soccer teams in
Egypt and their fans. Al-Ahly's fans have
been at the forefront of the revolution that
overthrew longtime leader Hosni Mubarak,
leading chants and protests against the
military.
Egypt's general prosecutor has ordered an
immediate investigation into the Port Said
violence, NBC News reported.
The parliament said it will hold an
emergency session Thursday to discuss the riot.