28.02.2014 23:39 h

Football: Northern Ireland monitoring Cyprus tie after bomb blast

Der gebürtige Frankfurter Georgios Donis ist neuer Nikosia-Coach
Der gebürtige Frankfurter Georgios Donis ist neuer Nikosia-Coach

The Irish Football Association (IFA) are monitoring developments in Cyprus after a referee's car was bombed in the country where Northern Ireland are due to play a friendly on Wednesday.

The car of a top Cypriot official, named by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) as Leontios Trattos, was damaged by a bomb explosion on Friday, leading to the postponement of all First Division fixtures in the country this weekend after referees went on strike in response to the incident.

Northern Ireland are scheduled to face Cyprus in Nicosia next week and IFA chief executive Patrick Nelson has been in contact with CFA president Marios Leskaritist.

The bombing, which caused no casualties, is currently viewed as an isolated incident unconnected to international football and there are no plans to cancel the friendly at present.

But discussions between the associations will continue and Nelson said: "I have been in touch with the president of the Cyprus FA and we will continue to monitor developments."