Daniel Munoz will miss the final of Copa America after losing his head and elbowing Manuel Ugarte, as Uruguay and Colombia clashed both on and off the field in the semi-final
Mexican referee Cesar Ramos shows a red card to Colombia defender Daniel Munoz.(AFP or licensors)
A ferocious game between Colombia and Uruguay resulted in defender Daniel Munoz being shown a red card after he elbowed an opposition player right in front of the referee, before the hostility spilled over into the crowd.
Colombia booked its place in the final of Copa America after a narrow 1-0 win over Uruguay, but Munoz almost cost them victory after a moment of madness. Just six minutes after Colombia midfielder Jefferson Lerma scored a 39th-minute header, Munoz was sent off for lashing out at Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Munoz, who also plays for Crystal Palace in England with goalscorer Lerma, had already received a yellow card earlier in the half but tested his luck with a blatant trip which saw Uruguay surround the referee and request another booking. Munoz took his anger out on Ugarte and gave the referee no choice but to send him off.
Ugarte dropped to the turf after receiving the hit from Munoz, who began pleading his innocence to the referee before being told to leave the field. It was a moment of madness from Munoz, with Colombia leading the game and starting to dominate Uruguay after some heavy pressure.
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Colombia managed to hold on to its 1-0 lead even though they played with 10 men for 45 minutes. It’s the third time that Colombia has reached the final of Copa America, and they will face Argentina in Miami on Sunday.
The animosity didn’t stop after the game, as members of the Uruguay team ran into the crowd and started fighting Colombia fans who became aggressive with their friends and family. The loved ones of Uruguay players were sat behind the team benches, and according to defender Jose Maria Gimenez, drunk fans started “avalanching” their section.
Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez was punched during the altercation before later being seen consoling his son. The brawl soon relaxed as police and security staff eventually stepped in, but an investigation from federation CONMEBOL will be underway.
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Colombia will be without Munoz in the final due to his suspension, and on a different day, more players could have been sent off during a rough encounter. In total, eight cards were shown during the semi-final between Colombia and Uruguay as tempers flared between the two South American nations.
Colombia was the underdog heading into the game but had Nunez to thank as the Uruguay striker was wasteful in front of goal. Nunez missed two golden opportunities inside the opening 30 minutes and screamed in anger as he couldn’t direct a shot on target.
Uruguay attempted to battle back and subbed on veteran striker Luis Suarez in an attempt to force a penalty shootout. It was almost an inspired decision by Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa, as Suarez hit the post with an effort from the edge of the area.
Seven minutes of injury time was added due to constant breaks in play, and as soon as the final whistle sounded both teams began clashing again. Suarez was seen complaining to the referee and had to be restrained, while his teammates had flooded into the stands.
Source link : https://www.themirror.com/sport/soccer/colombia-uruguay-copa-america-fight-585066.amp
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Publish date : 2024-07-11 00:00:36
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