Argentina’s Lionel Messi (C) raises the trophy after winning the Copa America on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Photo by Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA-EFE
July 15 (UPI) — Chaos started even before the opening whistle of the Copa America finale, with fans overwhelming the stadium gates. Argentina then proceeded to secure a victory, edging Colombia 1-0 in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Tournament organizers, law enforcement officials and the host opted to postpone the game by more than an hour on Sunday because of “unruly behavior of fans trying to access” Hard Rock Stadium.
Players and coaches from both teams told reporters that the scene caused significant anxiety, as they attempted to prepare for the game while not knowing about the status of family members engulfed by the swarm.
“Imagine, from the locker room we were trying to communicate with family members, with friends, to see if they were in trouble or not,” Colombia manager Nestor Lorenzo said. “It was overwhelming. So that was chaotic. We tried to keep the team calm, but there was anxiety,”
Swaths of fans clad in yellow and blue packed tightly into queues outside entry gates, exchanging pushes and shedding tears. Others collapsed from heat exhaustion, while some climbed the stadium walls, entered air vents and caused major damage to the facility, while gaining access despite not having tickets. Officials eventually allowed the crowd through, in an attempt to “prevent stampedes and serious injury.”
Gates were later closed off, with some ticket-holding fans not allowed entry as the facility was at capacity.
Once play got underway, the Argentines and Colombians played a very tight match, including a scoreless regulation. Forward Lautaro Martinez eventually settled the match, beating goalie Camilo Vargas in the 112th minute of extra time.
Colombia and Argentina failed to convert on several close chances early on, including a 20th-minute attempt from Argentine striker Lionel Messi.
Messi sustained a right ankle injury about 15 minutes later. He attempted to play through the injury, before departing in the second half, hampering the Argentine attack. Messi watched the remainder of the match from the sideline, with tears flowing from his eyes as his teammates finished what might have been his final Copa America match.
Colombia and Argentina continued to supply solid chances for the remainder of regulation, while police officers entered the stands and escorted those without tickets out of the seats.
Argentine right back Nicolas Tagliafico eventually found the net in the 75th minute, exciting the massive crowd, but that score was disallowed because of an offside call.
Martinez finally netted the game-winner in the second half of extra time, securing a second-consecutive Copa America crown for Argentina.
Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso started the sequence by playing a long through ball toward the box. Martinez sprinted up the right flank in pursuit of the feed. He took a touch into the box, drawing Vargas from his spot. He then finished the play with a rip through Vargas’ hands and into the left side of the net.
Tensions flared on the field over the final minutes before the night eventually ended with the Argentines once again hoisting the trophy.
Messi will likely need to undergo tests and scans on his ankle to determine the extent of the injury and a potential timeline for return. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said in his post-match news conference that the star striker wanted to return to the game, despite sustaining the injury.
“He’s the best in history and, even with an ankle like that, he doesn’t want to go off,” Scaloni said. “It’s not because he’s selfish, but because he doesn’t want to let his teammates down. He was born to be on a pitch.”
Messi is now set to return to Inter Miami for the remainder of the MLS season. The Herons, who sit in second place in the league standings, will host Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Argentina will face Chile on Sept. 5 in a World Cup qualifier. Some of the games for that World Cup will be hosted in 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium.
On Monday morning, facility officials released a statement in response to the chaos that unfolded before the Copa America final. They said they are working with law enforcement to “identify and hold criminals accountable who engaged in illegal conduct.”
They also said they will work with tournament organizers to address the concerns of ticket holders who were unable to enter the stadium after gates were closed at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami-Dade County mayor Danielle Levine Cava and chief public safety officer James Reyes also released a joint statement, saying they were “outraged by the unprecedented events” at the Copa America finale.
“Let’s be clear: this situation should never have taken place and cannot happen again,” the statement said.
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Publish date : 2024-07-15 08:43:45
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