Jozy Altidore says he will pray for the fans who racially abused him during shocking scenes at last night’s Dutch Cup quarter-final between AZ Alkmaar and Den Bosch.
The United States striker said he had never faced such serious abuse at a match and according to AZ’s Twitter feed, referee Reinold Wiedemeijer wanted to stop the tie in the first half “because of jungle sounds” but AZ players, including Altidore, persuaded him not to.
Altidore (above) scored a penalty during the 5-0 away win but did not celebrate while Den Bosch players remonstrated with their fans and announcements were made over the PA to stop the chanting.
“There’s nothing I can do about it,” said former Hull striker Altidore. “All I can do is pray for them and hope they can become better people. At the end of the day it’s still alive, racism. All we can do now is try to educate ourselves, the young kids coming up, to be better than that.
US coach Jurgen Klinsmann said: “When that type of stuff happens, no matter where in the world you go, you don’t want to see it.”
Den Bosch’s director, Peter Bijvelds, blamed “malicious fans making a scandalous mess” of the evening.
This month, AC Milan’s friendly with Pro Patria was abandoned after players walked off because of racist chants at Kevin-Prince Boateng.
