The Liga BetPlay meeting between Independiente Santa Fe and América de Cali was stopped in the 33rd minute after violence spread from the stands onto the pitch.
Supporters carrying sticks, metal bars, chairs and other objects chased and attacked one another inside Bogotá’s El Campín stadium. Players and coaching staff were ordered back to the dressing rooms.
Fighting began over a banner
Local reports said the disorder began with an attempt to steal a banner belonging to América’s travelling support. Santa Fe fans subsequently moved across the pitch towards the away section.
At the same time, América supporters were involved in confrontations with police inside their section. Security personnel initially struggled to prevent more fans from entering the playing area.
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Video footage showed chairs and other objects being thrown as rival groups fought on the grass. According to UOL, police used shields, batons and chemical agents while attempting to regain control.
The referee suspended the match and sent both teams away from the violence. The interruption lasted for approximately 50 minutes before officials decided that the game could continue.
Visiting supporters were evacuated as a preventative measure. The Bogotá authorities confirmed that 17 people received medical attention, although none of them suffered serious injuries.
Goalkeeper struck while receiving treatment
The most disturbing incident involving a player occurred close to América’s goal. Fernandes was lying on the pitch and receiving treatment when a supporter ran behind him and kicked a loose ball towards his head.
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The Brazilian goalkeeper later shared footage of the incident and criticised the decision to resume the match. He said that he had been struck and that nothing had happened in response.
América coach David González supported his goalkeeper. He rejected attempts to minimise the incident simply because Fernandes had been hit with a ball rather than directly kicked by the supporter.
According to Infobae, Fernandes remained in the game and was later voted player of the match after making several important saves.
The match eventually finished 0-0. Santa Fe created the better chances after the restart, but Fernandes and the goal frame prevented the home side from scoring, El Espectador reported.
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Clubs could face punishment
Bogotá mayor Carlos Fernando Galán promised that the violence would not go unpunished. The city’s football commission and Colombia’s league authorities are expected to examine security footage and reports from the match.
Possible consequences include fines, partial stand closures and matches behind closed doors. No final sporting punishment had been announced at the time of publication.
Santa Fe president Eduardo Méndez also condemned the behaviour. He warned that repeated violence and abuse were already discouraging families and ordinary supporters from attending matches at El Campín.
Both clubs rejected the disorder, but the decision to complete the fixture remains controversial. The final whistle brought an official result, although the scenes around the pitch ensured that the football itself became almost irrelevant.
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