Soccer-Boca search for ice cube thrower after linesman hit

BUENOS AIRES, May 1 (Reuters) - Boca Juniors have called on their supporters to help find the spectator who threw a lump of ice which struck a linesman during a Libertadores Cup game with Cruzeiro, ending the match a minute early.

Club president Pedro Pompilio said he was stunned that the ice cube, which left the linesman with a cut on his forehead, had been hurled from the most expensive seating in their stadium in Wednesday's game.

Titleholders Boca were leading the Brazilian side 2-1 when the incident happened in the second minute of injury-time in front of the VIP boxes.

Referee Jorge Larrionda, who had signalled three minutes of injury-time, immediately blew the final whistle.

"It was a huge disgrace. From the part of the stadium you would expect to set an example comes a person who has put the club at risk, with unpredictable consequences," Pompilio told Radio La Plata.

"This person has morally damaged the club and its members and he hasn't respected the 45,000 people who were in the stadium.

"We were stunned that this happened in the private boxes and we are hoping that some member can rise to the occasion and help us find the culprit and expel him."

Pompilio added: "The closed circuit cameras do not film this part of the stadium because it's not considered an area of conflict.

"We know it came from this area because you don't find ice cubes of that size in other parts of the stadium."