The second Copa America semifinal took a violent flip Wednesday when Uruguayan gamers brawled with followers within the stands following their elimination by the hands of Colombia.
Cameras captured a number of gamers, led by Uruguay’s Darwin Núñez, strolling into the stands on the Financial institution of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, and exchanging punches with Colombia followers as safety employees tried to carry the gamers again.
Núñez might be seen throwing a number of punches. Uruguay defender José María Giménez appeared to throw at the very least one punch, in response to movies verified by NBC Information.
In a post-game interview, Giménez mentioned the brawl stemmed from a “sure sector of Colombia followers” who he mentioned “did an avalanche” on the households of Uruguayan gamers. He known as on organizers to take extra precautions “as a result of the identical factor occurs each sport.”
“This can be a catastrophe. Our households had been at risk,” Giménez mentioned.
Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Soccer Affiliation, instructed reporters after the sport that the Uruguayan gamers had been making an attempt to guard their households.
“Uruguay’s gamers had an instinctive response, which is pure, which goes to defend and defend the youngsters who had been on that facet of the stands, who had been struggling assaults, the ladies, the mother and father, the closest members of the family, siblings,” he mentioned.
In a statement, CONMEBOL, South American soccer’s governing physique, mentioned it “strongly condemns any act of violence that impacts soccer.”
“There is no such thing as a place for intolerance and violence on and off the sector,” it added.
The melee adopted Uruguay’s 1-0 loss to Colombia in a sport during which feelings had been already excessive.
Jefferson Lerma put Colombia forward within the thirty ninth minute, however compatriot Daniel Muñoz was despatched off following a second yellow card after an elbow to Uruguay’s Manuel Ugarte. Regardless of taking part in with a person benefit for everything of the second half, nevertheless, Uruguay was unable to search out the equalizer and Colombia walked away with the victory.
Colombia will now play for the championship towards Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Sunday at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Florida. Uruguay, in the meantime, will play for third place Saturday towards Canada.