After losing 1-0 to ten-man Colombia in the semifinals, some Uruguay players, led by Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez, clashed with Colombian fans at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
The brawl erupted when Uruguay players entered the stands and started throwing punches.
Uruguay’s José María Giménez said after the incident that their families were harassed by Colombian fans. He called for better security measures from the tournament organizers.
CONMEBOL, the tournament organizer, has released a statement condemning the violence but did not provide further details.
Uruguay lost to Colombia 1-0 in a frustrating match. Colombia, down to ten men after Daniel Munoz was sent off, secured a spot in the final against Argentina. Jefferson Lerma’s 39th-minute header gave Colombia the win, their first Copa América final in 23 years.
The match was tense and played before a passionate crowd. Colombia, despite being a man down, managed to hold off Uruguay’s attacks. Núñez had several chances but failed to score. In the final moments, Uruguay missed opportunities to equalize.
The downtown streets of Charlotte were filled with celebrating Colombian fans, making the stadium atmosphere resemble a home game for Colombia.
The match saw scuffles on the field and fights in the stands, raising concerns for CONMEBOL ahead of the final, which will attract many fans from Argentina and Colombia.
