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Violence hits Copa Sudamericana final

AnaSCI

ADMINISTRATOR
Sep 17, 2003
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Here's one for you MilburnCreek:

Violence stains Copa Sudamericana final - News | FOX Sports on MSN

Sao Paulo was awarded the Copa Sudamericana title on Wednesday after violent scenes on and off the pitch prompted Argentine club Tigre to refuse to play the second half of the second leg of the final played in the nation set to host the World Cup in less than two years.

Tigre officials said their players were attacked in the dressing room area by security officials during the half-time break, following confrontations on the pitch at the end of the first half.

Tigre coach Nestor Gorosito came to the field area briefly during the half and told reporters ''they pulled two revolvers,'' he said, referring to unspecified security officials.

''We're not going to play anymore.''

"Police entered the locker room and brandished weapons," Tigre goalkeeper Damián Albil told FOX Deportes, though it is not clear if Albil mistook security officials for police.

Referee Enrique Osses of Chile awarded the victory to Sao Paulo after waiting about 30 minutes for Tigre to retake the field.

Sao Paulo led 2-0 after the first half with goals from Lucas and Osvaldo. The first leg of the final last week in Buenos Aires ended 0-0.

The two teams scuffled going off the pitch after the first half and while it was unclear what happened in the dressing room area, Argentine television showed what appeared to be blood stains spattered on walls.

''Police entered and struck our players with sticks,'' Gorosito told Argentine television. ''It was crazy. What happened was crazy.''

Romer Osuna, a Bolivian official with CONMEBOL, South America's governing body of football, said Tigre players were afraid to return to the field.

''The Tigre people declined to play because they considered security was not good enough,'' Osuna told Fox Sports.

The violence and chaos at the final of South America's No. 2 club tournament will cast a nasty shadow over Brazil's preparations for the 2014 World Cup. The country is also scheduled to host the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. The violent scenes on Wednesday will add to concerns about the efficacy of planning and organization of football in Brazil.

FIFA, the world governing body of football, has said Brazil is behind schedule in its World Cup preparations and has urged organizers to speed up with the construction of infrastructure.

Violence threatens many matches in South America, with Brazil and Argentina particularly troubled.

Sao Paulo scored two goals in five minutes in the first half — a left-footed drive from Lucas in the 23rd and a lobbing shot from the right wing by Osvaldo in the 28th.

Sao Paulo, one of Latin America's most famous clubs, is a three-time winner of the Copa Libertadores; South America's most prestigious club tournament. It has also won the Club World Cup once, and twice won the Intercontinental Cup, the predecessor to the Club World Cup. This was the club's first Copa Sudamericana title.

The modest Argentine club Tigre was playing in its first international final and has never won the Argentine first-division title.