Cairo, Feb 2 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Egyptian authorities announced a national three-day mourning period following violence at a stadium in Port Said that saw at least 73 people killed and about a thousand injured.

"The head of SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) has declared a national three-day mourning starting on Thursday and until Saturday," a statement from the SCAF said.

Thousands of fans rushed onto the field after their home team from Port Said, Al-Masry, defeated Al-Ahly, one of Egypt's top clubs from Cairo, 3-1 Wednesday night. They first clashed with rival fans of the Cairo-based club and then attacked the Al-Ahly players and coaches. The attack resulted in a stampede at the stadium, which was being attended by some 40,000 people that night.

It is the deadliest incident in football since a 1996 stampede in Guatemala City before a World Cup qualifier between Guatemala and Costa Rica that killed 80 people and injured 180.