UEFA says it will improve Frankfurt field after turf cuts up in England-Denmark game at Euro 2024

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — After England and Denmark played in the European Championship on a Frankfurt field that cut up following days of rain, UEFA said on Friday it was working on “specific issues” to improve the quality.

There was a brief but intense rain storm on Friday evening but the roof on the Waldstadion was closed as it had been for 24 hours before kickoff on Thursday in the England-Denmark game.

Frankfurt has had steady rain all week and having the option to close the stadium roof has protected the field that was used all season by host club Eintracht Frankfurt.

But chunks of turf were kicked up during England’s 1-1 draw with Denmark and several players slipped on the greasy grass in humid conditions on a 23-degree (73 F) day.

“A detailed maintenance plan is in place to address specific issues and further improve quality ahead of the upcoming fixtures at the venue,” UEFA said in a statement.

Germany plays Switzerland in the stadium on Sunday, then there's Slovakia-Romania on Wednesday, and a round-of-16 game on July 1 for the Group F winner, which could be Portugal.

Germany midfielder Chris Führich said on Friday the field at Frankfurt has a reputation of being “not so firm” and "players have had problems with it.”

“It’s extremely slippery, it slips out very quickly and quickly gets messed up. So you have problems with stopping yourself properly," said Führich, who has played there with his club Stuttgart.

UEFA has replacement fields ready to bring in when needed. The playing surface at Switzerland’s training stadium was relaid this week after a formal complaint.

England coach Gareth Southgate said he noticed the Frankfurt field break up when Belgium played there on Monday and lost to Slovakia 1-0.

“I’ve been a defender, when you play on a pitch like that it puts you on edge because you are not sure of your footing,” Southgate said after Thursday’s game.

UEFA said its expert field consultants “have seen the overall pitch rating improve consistently over the course of the previous season.”

Persistent rain in Germany during Euro 2024 has added to issues with fields that were relaid before the competition. In Hamburg, Poland and Netherlands could not practice on the surface before the opening game at Volksparkstadion on Sunday.

Playing surfaces have been relaid during previous tournaments with turf brought from the Netherlands: During Euro 2016 at Lille, France, and Euro 2008 at Basel, Switzerland.

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

England's Marc Guehi shoots during a Group C match between Denmark and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford catches the ball during a Group C match between Denmark and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen, left, is challenged by England's Marc Guehi during a Group C match between Denmark and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

England's Harry Kane walks off the pitch to be substituted during a Group C match between Denmark and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch prosecutors say that a 22-year-old man arrested after a fatal stabbing in Rotterdam that left one person dead and another seriously wounded is suspected of murder and attempted murder with terrorist intent.

The Rotterdam public prosecution service said Friday that investigations into the suspect, whose identity has not been released, uncovered “ indications that the suspect may be ideologically driven. For example, the suspect shouted Allahu akbar a number of times during the commission of the crimes.”

The stabbing happened Thursday night in central Rotterdam.

The suspect is set to be arraigned on Monday.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch police appealed for witnesses Friday as they investigated a stabbing in which one man was killed and another seriously wounded in the port city of Rotterdam.

A suspect was arrested after being overpowered Thursday night by members of the public and police. There was no immediate word on the motive for the attack, but police said Thursday night that witnesses reported the attacker shouting “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase meaning God is great.

“It’s part of the investigation,” police spokesman Wessel Stolle said Wednesday night.

A 32-year-old man from Rotterdam was killed and a 33-year-old man from Switzerland was seriously wounded in the stabbing near the landmark Erasmus Bridge, police said in a statement. The suspect is a 22-year-old man from the central Dutch city of Amersfoort who reportedly attacked his victims with two large knives.

Police didn't release the identities of the suspect or the victims of the stabbing, in line with Dutch privacy guidelines.

A sports instructor, Reniël Renato David Litecia, said that he hit the attacker with two sticks after seeing him attack somebody and managed to take the knives and throw them away.

He said he initially thought it was a fight, “but when I started running in that direction I saw that it wasn’t a fight. It was a man with two long knives who was stabbing another young guy and when I started shouting he turned around and started approaching everyone who was around him.”

Another police spokesperson, Kristel Arntz, said the assailant is believed to have attacked one person in an underground parking lot and then a second victim near a busy terrace near one end of the bridge that spans the New Maas river, which runs through Rotterdam.

Arntz also said that it was too early in the investigation to establish a motive.

“We have arrested a suspect, we are going to question him. We will look at all the witness statements and then we will look at what the possible motive was,” she said.

FILE - The Erasmus Bridge towers over the river Maas in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, April 2007. (AP Photo/ Bas Czerwinski, File)

In this image made from video provided by Media TV, personnel respond to a stabbing incident late Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in the port city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Media TV via AP)

In this image made from video provided by Media TV, personnel respond to a stabbing incident late Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in the port city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Media TV via AP)