Australian soccer club sanctioned after pitch invasion

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Melbourne Victory soccer club has been prevented from selling tickets to home games and fans cannot attend away matches under Football Australia’s preliminary sanctions for a violent pitch invasion. The Victory were put on notice after 150 spectators stormed the AAMI Park pitch in last Saturday’s A-League match against Melbourne City, forcing the match to be abandoned. City goalkeeper Tom Glover sustained a concussion and facial lacerations when he was hit with a metal bucket wielded by a pitch invader. Referee Alex King, a television cameraman and two security guards were also injured. Football Australia has not fully determined final sanctions but has put Friday’s temporary measures in place until Jan. 15.