Darwin Nunez, a forward for Liverpool, got into a fight with Colombian supporters to defend his family not long after Colombia defeated Uruguay 1-0 despite having 10 men on the field. Jefferson Lerma scored the game’s winning goal.The fight between the two South American heavyweights was hotly contested and took place at Bank America Stadium in North Carolina.Lerma’s game-winning goal in the 39th minute gave Colombia a vital victory and sent their fans into a frenzy.
But the festivities soon took a sour turn when Nunez saw some inebriated Colombian fans in the stands harassing his family. The Liverpool forward, who was clearly upset, ran into the bleachers to protect his family from the hostile supporters. Security officers and other Uruguayan players, such as Ronald Araujo and Jose Giminez, intervened to keep the parties apart as the situation quickly got out of control.
FIFA officials and national teams have voiced concerns about player and family safety during games at North Carolina Stadium after the event.Authorities promise to identify and deal with the supporters’ actions as they begin their investigation into the altercation.For the third time in history and the first since winning the competition for the first time in 2001, Colombia has advanced to the Copa America championship game.
