Germany-Netherlands match called off shortly before kickoff

Top government officials, including de Maiziere and Chancellor Angela Merkel, had been scheduled to attend the game as a sign of defiance following the Paris attacks.

The agree between Germany & Netherlands in Hanover was referred to as off lower than two hours before kick-off Tues. night, after what officers referred to as a “potential threat to spectators”.

Authorities said they found no explosives at the stadium.

“That is why I do not want to give away any knowledge and only say from my point of view, that the decision to cancel the match was the right thing to do”.

In a show of solidarity, Merkel was set to attend with Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and several government ministers.

The HDI Arena in Hannover, which had been under increased security by armed police on Tuesday, was evacuated before kick-off.

This marked one of six terror attacks that took place in Paris on November 13, killing at least 129 people and injuring hundreds more.

The two tips forced officials to cancel the Netherlands-Germany match about 90 minutes before kickoff.

Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere took responsibility for calling off Tuesday’s game.

The Stade de France, where the German national team were playing a friendly against France, was one of the venues targeted.

Police also advised people to avoid public transport and were checking cars, leading to lengthy traffic jams bathed in the blue light of flashing police sirens.

The German football federation (DFB) announced in a short Twitter statement shortly after 7pm GMT: “The team are in a safe place”.

Security crews received the warning before the start of the game that possible attackers were in the stadium. We will have a heavy presence throughout the night and ensure the safety around the city. “That our team would twice in four days have to experience this kind of tragic event is something that previously I could never have imagined”, German soccer official Reinhard Rauball said.

The stadium was still sealed off more than five and a half hours after the evacuation order, when video journalists and photographers were allowed to recover equipment they left inside.

Belgium’s friendly with Spain in Brussels, also scheduled to be played on Tuesday, was called off on Monday because of security fears in the wake of last week’s attacks in Paris.