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A number of Uruguayan players, including Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez, entered the stands following their 1-0 loss against Colombia in the Copa América semifinals and scuffled with Colombian supporters.
Jack Lang @jacklang
Some kind of scuffle after final whistle. Uruguay players raging. What I think are their families – including some people who look distressed – come onto pitch. Núñez especially looks (from a long distance, granted) really upset <a href=”https://t.co/5JUOCNl4dt”>pic.twitter.com/5JUOCNl4dt</a>
Núñez, Ronald Araujo and Jose Maria Gimenez were reportedly among the players involved in the incident, according to Ben Burrows and Jack Lang of The Athletic.
Gimenez said he feared for the safety of their families, who were seated in the section involved in the scuffle.
“It’s a total disaster. There wasn’t a single police officer,” he said. “They showed up half an hour later. A disaster. And we were there, standing up for ourselves, for our loved ones.”
The situation came after a hard-fought match at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, with the two teams going at it after the final whistle:
The contest was an intense, heated affair, as Colombia held off Uruguay despite being a man down for the entire second half.
That too was a moment where composure went out the window, as Daniel Muñoz was sent off for throwing an elbow:
Copa América has long been known for its beautiful soccer, its physical play and its passionate and heated rivalries. On Wednesday night, cooler heads didn’t prevail.