So, before a scheduled Chilean Primera Division match between Colo Colo and Santiago Wanderers began, the pitch briefly turned into the opening scene from Saving Private Ryan. The Chile fan brawl lasted quite a while compared to traditional fan skirmishes, and appears to have originated outside the stadium.
The scene basically devolved into a primitive war zone, with fans grabbing metal poles, rocks and the like. Pretty much any throwable or swingable object was in play, including plastic chairs and pieces of camera tri-pods.
The game, predictably, did not take place on the day, but was postponed. At least one fan was seriously injured, Reuters reported.
We're not sure how the melee started, both sides will probably blame the other for igniting the brawl, but good lord. That is some next-level hooliganism right there. The fans were on the field for at least a good 15 minutes there.
The scene reminds us of Bill Buford's book on English hooliganism, "Among the Thugs." In response to behavior similar to that described in the book, which mirrors what happened in Chile, the English government and FA clamped down on riotous behavior. You have to wonder if Chile will now do something similar.
The lesson here: wherever you find soccer, you will also find hooligans.
*Steps off soapbox*
Even though the game was scrapped, Colo Colo won the championship that day, because the second-place team lost.
"We have fought all season to arrive in first place and then sadly these incidents happen," Colo Colo manager Jorge Luis Sierra said. "It makes us sad, but the big loser is football."
(H/T VICE Sports)
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus
