Went to a soccer match and a mini riot broke out...

Canada has gotten a taste of the ever popular world football riots, all be it a rather mild strain of the affliction.

Thursday's World U20 World Cup semi final between Chile and Argentina seemed to bring the tensions of those two nations to the pitch in Toronto. With the action on the field becoming dirtier and dirtier as the game progressed, the game official administered some 53 fouls — 30 against Chile, before the night was over he had handed two red cards to Chile and nine yellow cards — seven to Chile and two to Argentina.

With Chile apparently busy taking reprimands and causing mayhem on the field they fell behind to the Argentinians by a final score of 3-0. At the final whistle they chose to try and get to the referee (a gentleman who appeared to have had trouble with handling the game from the get go), who had to be escorted off the field by Toronto police. Following that bit of excitement, the Chilean's then battled with assorted fans, Toronto Police and BMO field security officials, in a wild melee that resulted in one of the Chileans ending up receiving a taser shot from police.

The players were taken off the bus and returned to their dressing rooms while police investigated the numerous off field incidences.

Chile has a consolation game coming up on Sunday against the Czech Republic, a game they'll be playing without at least a few players, the two red carded players for sure and whoever doesn't make bail after Thursday night's post game festivities.


Chile players involved in post-match scuffle with Toronto police
Canadian Press
July 20, 2007 at 12:31 AM EDT

TORONTO — A member of the Chilean soccer delegation was subdued by taser during a scuffle with police and security guards that involved several Chilean players on Thursday night after the semifinal of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, according to witnesses.

The ruckus developed as players were loading onto their team bus after a bitter 3-0 loss to Argentina in the semifinal at the National Soccer Stadium.

Nathan Denette said he was outside the stadium with a fellow CP photographer when they heard yelling.

"All of a sudden we looked over and there was a big brawl that breaks out, between four or five people," Denette said. "Next thing you know, the bus just unloads and there's eight, 10 players come off the bus and there's just fists flying everywhere, between the cops, the security guards, a couple of ladies were involved that were security.

"It looked like a big dogfight. People throwing fists and cops with their billyclubs out and then all of a sudden it got out of control and a police officer grabbed his taser gun and tasered someone — I don't know if he was a player or if he was part of the team — as soon as that happened, it got even worse."

The bus was parked at the side of the stadium, where a large fence kept hundreds of angry, chanting fans from getting closer. A tow truck arrived later to take the damaged team bus away.
"We heard this big bang . . . it was just commotion after commotion after commotion," Denette said. "Some of the players were trying to get players back on the bus. But some were furious they were trying to get back off the bus. And then they opened up the windows on the bus and were throwing things at the officers. And then all of sudden, they were trying to grab them from the inside of the bus. And it just escalated."

It was not immediately clear whether the man tasered was a player or official with the Chilean team.

Police eventually handcuffed several players, some of them bloodied and screaming, and escorted them back into the dressing room. Several hours after the game ended, Chilean players involved in the fracas were still at the stadium.

"The players are still in the dressing room and we don't know what's going to happen next," Colin Linford, president of the Canadian Soccer Association, told The Canadian Press.

Linford said while FIFA officials were on hand, police had taken charge of the situation.

Two Chilean players were ejected during the loss. The game was an ill-tempered affair with nine yellow cards — seven to Chile and two to Argentina — in addition to the two red cards. German referee Wolfgang Stark called 53 fouls — 30 against Chile.

When the final whistle blew, several Chilean players tried to get at the officiating crew. Others stepped in to keep them away. Eventually two police officers escorted the officiating crew off the pitch, but they stopped as they neared the tunnel, eyeing the angry crowd.

Eventually they made a run for it, dashing to the safety of the tunnel below the stands.
The post-match melee happened as reporters were elsewhere in the stadium, attending the coaches' post-match news conference.

"The players were upset. They're young players," Chile coach Jose Sulantay said through an interpreter, referring to the melee on the playing field after the final whistle. "The red card affected them.

"The coaching staff tried to calm them down, but there were upset with the ref and the red cards."

Chile is scheduled to play Austria in the third-place game on Sunday before the final between Argentina and the Czech Republic.