Kosovo-Romania Match Abandoned After Players Walk Off Pitch Following Pro-Serbia Chants

Kosovo and Romania's international friendly was abandoned on Sunday after just 16 minutes due to pro-Serbian chants from some Romanian fans.

With Kosovo leading 1-0 thanks to a 13th-minute goal from Zymer Bytyqi, the match was halted when referee Lothar Burchert stopped play and ordered the players off the pitch.

The match was taking place in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, and a number of Romanian fans had traveled to the game despite the two countries not having diplomatic relations.

The Romanian fans were reportedly chanting slogans in support of Serbia, which is a long-time ally of Romania and has a tense relationship with Kosovo.

The match was abandoned after several attempts to restart the game were unsuccessful. Burchert attempted to get the players back on the pitch after a 20-minute delay, but the Kosovo players refused to continue playing.

The Kosovo Football Federation (FFK) said in a statement that the match was abandoned "due to provocations from the Romanian side." The statement added that the FFK "strongly condemns the unsportsmanlike and provocative behavior from the Romanian side."

The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) said in a statement that it "deeply regrets the premature end of the friendly match between Romania and Kosovo." The statement added that the FRF "condemns any form of violence or intolerance at sporting events."

The abandonment of the match is a further sign of the tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state.

The two countries have been involved in a long-running dispute over the territory of Kosovo, and there have been a number of incidents of violence between ethnic Albanians and ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.

The abandonment of the match is a reminder of the fragility of peace in the Balkans and the ongoing need for reconciliation between the two countries.