Uruguay footballers, Colombia fans brawl after Copa America semifinal
Darwin Nunez and about a dozen Uruguay teammates walked to the stands while fans were fighting. The video shows Nunez striking a fan wearing Colombian team colours.
By Associated Press
Jul 11, 2024 02:58 AM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP – Steve Reed) – Jefferson Lerma scored in the 39th minute , and Colombia played a man short the entire second half in a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Wednesday night to reach the Copa America final against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
Daniel Munoz was ejected during the first half of end-of-game timing after receiving his 2nd yellow card however, Colombia was able to hold on and win the finals in the very first time since winning the sole Copa title as the host in 2001. Colombia continued its streak of unbeaten play to a record-setting 28 games, which is one more than the 1992-94 period and the longest streak currently in the men’s international game.
In a heated game that featured seven yellow and one red, players of both teams pushed and pushed in a row in the field just before the end of the game. Darwin Nunez and about a dozen Uruguay teammates were seen in the stands while fans fought. A video shows Nunez hitting a fan dressed in Colombian team color.
Champion in the rematch Argentina and Colombia take on Colombia on Sunday night in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Albiceleste are aiming for an unprecedented sixteenth Copa victory and hoping to join Spain between 2008 and 2012 as the only nations to have won three consecutive major championships.
Uruguay remains in Charlotte to play Canada on Saturday night in the third-place game.
In front of a raucous pro-Colombia fan base of 70,644 who filled Bank of America Stadium with flags and yellow jerseys Uruguay was beaten in the tournament for only the second time during the tournament.
James Rodriguez’s goal from a corner was tipped to the right from short range by Lerma who leapt over Jose Maria Gimenez for his third international goal and his second in the competition. Rodriguez has scored six assists during the tournament -more than more than any other player.
Munoz was handed the first time a yellow card by Mexican official Cesar Ramos at the end of 31st minute of the match for an impulsive slide tackle against Maximiliano Araujo. He also received a second yellow card for striking Manuel Ugarte in the stomach.
Rodriguez was sent off with an yellow card in the 55th minute after arguing with Ramos after the referee was unable to stop the game after Richard Rios was kicked on the shin by Darwin Nunez.
Rios was taken off on a stretcher and returned to the game but fell down in a second attack which forced him to be substituted after 62 minutes. Rodriguez was taken off from the match to ensure he was fit to play in the last.
Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas didn’t even have any chance of making his initial save before he stopped Nicolas de la Cruz in the 68th minute.
Luis Suarez, Uruguay’s career top scorer with 68 goals came on in the 66th minute of the match and shot into the side of a goalpost by kicking it in the 71st minute. He put his head in his hands and screamed in rage.
Colombia’s Mateus Uribe who was a second-half sub, shot an open shot over the crossbar in the 88th minute. Uribe’s open shot during the 4th minute stoppage-time ricocheted off the goalkeeper’s body Sergio Rochet and then the crossbar.
Uruguay was able to move Rochet across on the field during the last minute, aiming for the goal.
The game was played in 90 degree heat on a turf surface that had been transformed from artificial turf into grass during the weeks prior to the match.
Players of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers have been outspoken regarding soccer teams’ advantage to play on grass on their own home field. NFL games played at venues play on synthetic turf which the players claim makes them more prone to injuries.
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