At the 40th minute of the match at Schlossberg Stadium, Forbach, an argument erupted after a collision. Immediately, players from both teams clashed, escalating into a brawl. Amidst the tense atmosphere, referee Demoncay intervened but was immediately pushed to the ground.

Referee Demoncay (right) was pushed down while breaking up a player brawl during the Metz - Fortuna Sittard friendly match in France on 25/7. Photo: Instagram

The unexpected collision left Demoncay disoriented, and she remained on the ground for several minutes while other referees and security personnel tried to restore order. She then switched to assistant referee duties until the end of the first half before leaving the field. Initial diagnosis indicated the 26-year-old referee suffered a concussion.

Demoncay did not issue any cards after the incident. The match saw only one yellow card, given to Justin Hubner of Fortuna Sittard in the 58th minute by another referee. Metz plays in the French second division, having finished last in Ligue 1 last season, while Fortuna Sittard is part of the Dutch national league. It is currently unclear whether the football authorities of both countries will impose additional penalties.

Demoncay is a referee with the French Football Federation. She previously officiated two French Cup matches in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons, in addition to her role as an assistant referee in other games.

The friendly match ended with a 3-1 victory for host team Metz. Captain Gauthier Hein scored two goals in the 8th and 75th minutes, with Pape Fall adding another to make it 2-1 in the 50th minute. Hubner scored one goal for Fortuna Sittard in the 45th minute.

After the match, both teams tried to downplay the incident's severity. Fortuna Sittard only described it as "a notable moment", while Metz released no information.

Thanh Quy (according to Sun)