It was an unsightly, chaotic and extraordinary scene that overshadowed a compelling match, elevating severe questions in regards to the safety preparations in place on the Bank of America Stadium in addition to CONMEBOL’s resolution to stage a recreation of this magnitude at a venue that was getting used for the primary time within the match.
Another match is going down on the identical stadium on Saturday, when Uruguay return for a third-place play-off towards Canada, and there’ll certainly must be an investigation between at times to ascertain the total chain of occasions that led to the unsavoury scenes that have been circulating on social media within the aftermath of Colombia’s 1-0 victory.
Nunez was visibly upset after changing into embroiled in an incident by which punches have been traded and objects have been thrown in one of many blocks within the decrease tier the place the households and associates of the Uruguay gamers have been positioned near Colombia followers.
Darwin Nunez went into the stand after the match (Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Images)
There was a mix of anger and frustration within the voices of the Uruguay gamers afterwards.
“It’s a complete catastrophe,” Gimenez, the Uruguay captain, stated. “There wasn’t a single police officer. They confirmed up half an hour later. A catastrophe. And we have been there, standing up for ourselves, for our family members.
“Hopefully, organisers take slightly extra precautions with our households, with the folks and people across the stadiums. Because this occurs each recreation. Our households are struggling due to some individuals who have just a few drinks and don’t know how you can drink, who act like youngsters.”
The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) has stated it should analyse all of the footage earlier than deciding whether or not to make an official grievance. But it’s clear the AUF believes it was an oversight to place the gamers’ associates and households in the identical space as Colombia supporters with none kind of partition.
“I feel there ought to’ve been some type of barrier, particularly as a result of it was identified virtually from the start of the match that the Colombian followers have been going to buy 95 per cent of the tickets and that space (of the stadium) may get sophisticated,” Ignacio Alonso, the AUF president, stated.
As for the actions of Nunez, Gimenez and others, Alonso maintained what they did was solely to be anticipated within the circumstances. “The Uruguayan gamers reacted instinctively to what’s pure: which is to defend and defend the youngsters that have been in that a part of the stand, the ladies who have been being assaulted, the wives, fathers, youngsters and brothers who have been there. It’s an instinctive response of a father,” he added.
The backdrop to all of that is that feelings had been working excessive on the stadium all night time — Colombia performed your complete second half with 10 males after Daniel Munoz was proven a crimson card simply earlier than the interval — however it was the ultimate whistle, after seven minutes of stoppage time, that introduced the primary of two flashpoints.
Initially, there was a melee within the centre circle, the place greater than 40 gamers and employees congregated instantly after the sport. Some Colombia and Uruguay gamers embraced each other whereas others — Uruguay’s Luis Suarez and Colombia’s Miguel Borja amongst them — turned concerned in an altercation. There was lots of pushing and shoving elsewhere however, on the face of it, nothing extra sinister than that.
Moments later, although, a few of the Uruguay gamers began to dash in the direction of the touchline, in an space simply to the correct of their dugout. At first, it was unclear what was happening, aside from that some youngsters carrying Uruguay shirts have been being carried out of the decrease tier and onto the pitch.
The movies that emerged later supplied a fuller image and confirmed Nunez, together with Gimenez and the Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, climbing up into the stand and angrily confronting Colombia supporters. As every thing bought extra heated, Nunez seemed to be struck by one fan. The Liverpool striker additionally appeared to throw a punch again.
“’Some of the gamers had wives, young children, their dad and mom, older relations… They went to see how they have been doing,” Suarez stated. “Then these issues began to occur, the pictures that you just’ve seen. They (Nunez, Gimenez and others) have been making an attempt to guard their households. From what I noticed, there have been lots of relations and kids affected. You’re left powerless in that state of affairs.”
It bought loopy within the semis!! Right in my part! Hope everyone is okay pic.twitter.com/oyDQM0d9Ik
— Lloyd sam (@MrLloydSam) July 11, 2024
Contrary to what Gimenez thought, cops have been current on the scene, albeit they took a while — greater than 60 seconds — to get the state of affairs beneath management and wanted the assistance of safety personnel.
Prior to that, it had threatened to show right into a free-for-all as different Uruguay gamers and employees bought concerned, clambering over seats. Video footage seems to point out Rodrigo Bentancur throwing an object of some type into that space.
As for Nunez, he was clearly nonetheless irate and deeply upset by every thing that had occurred when he bought down from the stand. The ahead picked up a chair, ran in the direction of an space the place Colombia followers have been goading him, and threw it into the wall under, prompting a few of the Uruguay substitutes to tug him away.
Nunez appeared extraordinarily emotional at that time. He was consoled by one of many Uruguay backroom employees on the pitch and likewise by Suarez and Luis Diaz, the Colombia ahead who performs alongside him for Liverpool.
As the mud began to settle and the followers spilt out of the stadium, there have been Uruguay gamers nonetheless on the pitch holding their youngsters. Matias Vina had a child in his fingers at one stage, Nicolas de la Cruz sat along with his daughter on his knee on the ground, and Nunez was later pictured with a toddler on his shoulder.
Mathías Viña con su beba en brazos. Los jugadores de Uruguay tuvieron su reacción al ver que sus familias en las tribunas estaban rodeadas de hinchas rivales, los que ya habían tenido cruces en el partido pic.twitter.com/eaOuNfKlq4
— Sebastián Amaya (@sebaamaya) July 11, 2024
The Uruguay gamers appeared like they have been in a state of shock as a lot as something. “It was an unsightly second,” Sergio Rochet, the Uruguay goalkeeper, stated. “It’s not good to see these issues, particularly when your loved ones is barely two metres away. We are unhappy to exit of the match and now now we have to take care of this case.
“From what I noticed, they (the supporters) began throwing issues. You attempt to steer clear of that, however while you see that it’s your loved ones, young children, it’s troublesome. I used to be stunned by the dearth of empathy from the Colombia gamers. I feel they need to have come to calm the waters.”
Like lots of people within the stadium, the Uruguay supervisor Marcelo Bielsa had no thought what was happening at first. He stated he initially thought his gamers “have been going to thank the Uruguayan followers for the help. But then I discovered that there have been different kinds of unlucky difficulties.”
As for CONMEBOL, South American soccer’s governing physique issued an announcement that made no reference by any means to any points round a scarcity of organisation on the stadium — one thing that was evident in so some ways on Wednesday night time — or security issues.
“CONMEBOL strongly condemns any act of violence that impacts soccer,” it stated. “Our work relies on the conviction that soccer connects and unites us by means of its constructive values. There isn’t any place for intolerance and violence on and off the sector. We invite everybody within the remaining days to pour all their ardour into cheering on their nationwide groups and having an unforgettable social gathering.”
(Top photograph: Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Images)
