World Cup qualifier suspended as sinkhole opens up on pitch

PLAY was stopped during a World Cup qualifier after a SINKHOLE appeared on the pitch late in the game.

Players and officials at Austria 's home match against Cyprus on Saturday were perplexed when the hole was spotted after 75 minutes of play.

4 Austria's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus was interrupted by the appearance of a sinkhole Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

4 The bizarre break in play occurred at the Raifeissen Arena in Austria Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

4 The break lasted several minutes as groundsmen scrambled to fill the hole with sand

4 The hole appeared big enough to fit a football

Danish ref Jakob Kehlet brought play to a halt while the sinkhole was inspected.

The hole, which appeared deep and wide enough to fit a full football inside, was situated on the edge of Austria stopper Alexander Schlager's box.

Staff at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz rushed with buckets of sand to attempt to make the surface safe enough for play to continue.

Football fans had reactions ranging from genuine concern to mockery as the teams waited for the all-clear to continue.

One user said: "What the heck. Huge health risk. one wrong step and your ankle is gone."

A second took a less serious outlook, joking: "The hole on the pitch is really a comedy . I guess Austrians picked very carefully the stadium where their national team to play an international official game."

Their reaction rings surprisingly true in the fact that this is not the first time such a calamity has occurred on Austrian soil.

A similar scene unfolded in 2022 when another sinkhole opened up during a Nations League match against Denmark .

Much like in that game, fears on an abandonment did not come to fruition, and play was eventually restarted.

In the end, Austria managed to hold onto the one-goal lead they held before the stoppage, courtesy of a penalty from former Manchester United man Marcel Sabitzer , and secured a 1-0 victory.