Copa Libertadores soccer match halted after just 3 minutes when fans protest with flares

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — A Copa Libertadores soccer match between Colombia's Independiente Medellín and Flamengo of Brazil was suspended after just three minutes Thursday and later called off when fans of the Colombian team began lighting flares and throwing objects on to the pitch.

The incident at the Atanasio Girardot stadium in Medellín was apparently organized as a protest against the local club’s management following poor results in the Colombian league, where Independiente Medellín was eliminated after finishing in 11th place.

Just minutes after the launching of flares and other objects began, referee Jesús Valenzuela ordered the players on both teams to go to their locker rooms while security forces intervened in the stadium. The match was scoreless at the time of the suspension.

More than an hour later, CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, officially called off the match, which was part of the fourth round of Group A.

The CONMEBOL Disciplinary Code states that when a team is deemed responsible for the suspension, cancellation or abandonment of a match, the game will be awarded to the non-offending team, handing Flamengo a 3-0 win.

During the stoppage, Flamengo player Jorginho posted a message on his X account saying: “We’re fine and waiting here,” along with a photo inside the locker room with his teammates Everton Cebolinha, Ayrton Lucas, Luiz Araújo, Leo Ortiz, and Leo Pereira.

Flamengo, the current Copa Libertadores champion, leads Group A with seven points, one more than Estudiantes de La Plata. Medellín is third with four points.

___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer