Zenit have been handed a technical defeat against Dynamo Moscow after Saturday's Premier League match was suspended when the host’s keeper Anton Shunin was hurt by a flare thrown from the Zenit supporters stand.

Shunin was briefly hospitalized with eye and ear injuries following the incident at the Khimki arena just outside Moscow, which left the referee no other option but to lead the teams off the pitch. By that time Dynamo was leading 1-0 courtesy of a Vladimir Granat goal.

The Russian Football Union’s disciplinary committee gave Zenit a technical defeat, as the reigning champions were also ordered to play their next two home games in an empty stadium and issued a $38,000 fine.

Fans have also been banned from Dynamo's next home game against Rubin. In such a way the club was punished for bad organization.

In the aftermath Zenit blamed Dynamo, saying the host club must bear responsibility for security at matches, which Dynamo called absurd.

Zenit’s general director Maxim Mitrofanov even threatened to pull the club out of the championship if the club was handed a defeat.

The clubs have a week to appeal, which means it’s too early to draw a line under this sorry incident. Meanwhile, the fan behind the incident hasn't been found yet.

It's not the first time Zenit have been deducted points in the Russian Premier League. Last year they were handed a defeat in their home game against CSKA for the repeated breaking of selection rules.

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