Maccabi Haifa`s Austrian friendly called off

Vienna: Israeli side Maccabi Haifa`s Austrian friendly scheduled for Saturday in Kirchbichl has been called off over security concerns, the local mayor`s office announced.

"There are serious security doubts due to incidents that took place at Haifa`s last match," Wilfried Ellinger, assistant to Kirchbichl`s mayor, told German news agency SID, (affiliated to AFP), on Friday. Haifa`s match on Wednesday against French side Lille in Bischofshofen was stopped in the 85th minute when 20 Austrians invaded the pitch brandishing Palestinian and Turkish flags and attacking Israeli players. No one was injured in the incident, according to police reports. Ellinger said there were no police officers available in the village to provide the necessary security to allow Saturday`s game to go ahead as scheduled.