Luis Suarez was predictably in the heart of the action when a fight broke out on the pitch after Uruguay lost to Colombia and then a brawl involving Darwin Nunez erupted in the stands.
Video footage showed former Liverpool and Barcelona forward Suarez seemingly fanning the flames post-match, ultimately creating an all-out brawl on the pitch. As Colombia celebrated their slender 1-0 victory in the Copa America semi-final, chaos ensued.
The pitch turned into a frenzy of players, officials, and staff, with Uruguay’s No. 9 in the thick of it and appearing to push a member of the Colombian coaching team. His actions triggered a domino effect, inciting a Uruguayan substitute player to join the fracas. The commentators kept up with the action, spotlighting Suarez’s involvement, reports Liverpool.com.
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“I’ll give you one guess who sparked this originally,” they quipped as the camera zoomed in on the provocative footballer. “And now it’s boiling over,” they observed, capturing the escalating situation as more characters joined the incident.
Another video posted on X, formerly Twitter, showed Suarez approaching rival player Miguel Borja, leaning in close and saying something before shoving him in the chest during a scuffle, then walking off and planting a kiss on the head of Colombia star James Rodriguez, then returning to remonstrate with the opposition and point his finger at Borja.
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But the trouble wasn’t just limited to the field; it spilled over into the stands where Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was one among several Uruguayans who confronted Colombian supporters. Nunez, caught in the middle of the mayhem, traded punches with fans while trying to protect his family.
Uruguay’s defender Jose Maria Gimenez was fuming post-match, revealing the squad had to step in to protect their loved ones from rowdy Colombia supporters. Heart-wrenching snaps later showed Nunez comforting one of his children on the field.
Gimenez said: “It was a disaster; there was no police and we had to defend our families,” The player suggested a handful of overzealous fans were to blame, adding: “This is because of two or three who have one drink too many. A certain sector of the Colombian fans made an avalanche where our loved ones were.”
Colombia just about scraped past Uruguay with a 1-0 victory, all thanks to Jefferson Lerma’s header connecting with a great cross from James Rodriguez in the first half. The win was made even tougher when Daniel Munoz got his marching orders for a second yellow after catching Manuel Ugarte with an elbow, leaving Colombia a man short.
Even with the numerical advantage, Uruguay struggled to pose a real threat, only managing a measly two shots on target throughout the game. They huffed and puffed for a late leveller, bagging free kicks at crucial junctures but just couldn’t make it count, as the match slipped through their fingers.
CONMEBOL, which leads South American football, responded in the aftermath of the violent incidents by announcing its intent to conduct a thorough evaluation prior to Sunday’s Copa America final. Colombia, currently relishing an impressive 28-match unbeaten run spanning over two years, will face Argentina in Miami despite being considered the underdogs.
Argentina, under the leadership of football wizard Lionel Messi, is eager to clinch a third consecutive title following their victories in the Copa America 2021 and last year’s World Cup. Despite not winning an international trophy until 2020, Messi, who now plays for MLS’s Inter Miami after his transfer last year, is keen to bolster his impressive legacy this coming Sunday in his new home city.