Injured Brazilian referee substituted during match

A Brazilian second-division match had to be stopped for nearly 10 minutes after the referee injured his leg and had to be substituted.

Referee Cleber Abade cried as he was escorted off the field because of a left calf muscle injury in the second half of Bragantino's 1-0 win over Ponte Preta in Campinas on Tuesday.

Abade dropped to the ground near midfield in the 51st minute, immediately placing his hands on his leg and calling for help. He had to be assisted by doctors from both teams before being taken off the field.

The match continued after Abade was replaced by the match's fourth referee, Jose Henrique de Carvalho.