Portuguese coach barely escapes Egypt violence

Team players of the Egyptian Al-Ahly club run for safety during clashes following their soccer match against Al-Masry club at the soccer stadium in Port Said, Egypt Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Dozens of Egyptians were killed Wednesday in violence following a soccer match in Port Said, when fans flooded the field seconds after a match against a rival team was over, Egypt's Health ministry said. (AP Photo/Ahmed Hassan)

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A Portuguese member of Al-Ahly’s coaching staff says he ran for his life and made a narrow escape when fans stormed the field after an Egyptian match and caused a riot which left at least 74 people dead.

Pedro Barny, an assistant to Al-Ahly coach Manuel Jose, says police at the stadium in Port Said “didn’t do anything” about intimidation and attacks by local Al-Masry fans during Wednesday’s match.

Barny told Radiotelevisao Portuguesa on Thursday that he was punched and kicked by fans as he sprinted towards the tunnel to escape the pitch invasion.

He said Al-Ahly players and coaching staff offered protection to their fans, some of them injured, by allowing them into the team’s changing room.