Accidental soccer match in Guatemala adds to the history of violence on Central American fields

An eventful match between local soccer teams in Guatemala culminated in a confrontation between the fans and the referees, who had to remain on the field after the match ended, due to threats from those in attendance. This is one of the most recent incidents in a long history of hostility and violence on Central American fields.

After a long 97 minutes of play at the Las Victorias stadium, in eastern Guatemala, the match held on November 16 between the host Sacachispas and Suchitepéquez ended with a score of 2 to 1, in favor of the visitors.

This was a decisive match, as both teams were fighting for half a place for promotion to the Guatemalan National League. Although it was the first of two games, the home eleven planned to take advantage of the advantage of playing on familiar ground.

Sacachispas had almost everything to win: a robust team that remained undefeated in the last matches, a packed stadium and a fan that chanted in unison. Although at the beginning everything was festive, the celebration soon became tarnished.

The visiting eleven represented the neighboring department of Suchitepéquez, about 200 kilometers from Chiquimula, the venue of this game.

Before the first half was over, the fans’ tempers began to heat up, with protests that grew every time referee Christopher Corado stopped calling a foul. Pushing, pulling on the shirt, stomping and the occasional insult from the players went unpunished.

The technical director of the local team, Mario Calero, was even reprimanded in the 13th minute for angry expressions of frustration over referee decisions.

The referees also failed to control the incidents between the fans and the rival bench. Objects and the occasional glass of beer rained down on the visiting bench.

If the match did not turn into a pitched battle, it was the entry of riot police into the stadium, followed by a group of private security that surrounded the visiting team.

At minute 86, one of the referee’s assistants raised the flag indicating that the goal that tied Sacachispas was made offside, which led the central referee to annul the goal, leaving the final score at 2 – 1. in favor of Suchitepéquez.

Given the result, the local fans turned their fury towards the refereeing, and at the end of the match they prevented the judges from leaving the field, as a sign of protest. “We ask the fans to please allow the referees to leave,” sounded over the stadium speakers.

Despite being protected by the riot squad, the referees refused to approach the exits of the field, where an angry mob was waiting for them.

Although some fans left the stadium at the end of the game, others were waiting for their revenge. Among them was one of the local team managers, who entered the field and showed his fist-shaped knuckles to the referees. There were even struggles with the riot police who forcefully removed him, in an incident that raised fears of responses with gunshots and tear gas.

After half an hour of this unusual situation, and with the judges still on the field, three of the four large lights that illuminate the stadium were turned off. The referees, tired, decided to leave covered by the armored plates of the riot police, leaving images for history.

A culture of violence that does not end

Violence at Central American soccer games is nothing new. In 1969, it led to the escalation of a confrontation between El Salvador and Honduras, which faced each other for four days in an armed conflict that left thousands dead. The reason was an agrarian conflict aggravated after a match between the national teams.

Both teams wanted a ticket to the World Cup in Mexico in 1970, but only one entered: El Salvador, after beating Honduras 3-0.

The Honduran nation team, in the midst of a campaign to expel thousands of Salvadoran migrants from its territory, broke relations with El Salvador and the war began.

“I have talked to people who went to the stadium in the 70’s and 80’s and back then brawls were normal, bottles and stones were thrown, but especially with rival teams, in qualifying matches,” he told Voice of America Carlos Vides, a Salvadoran journalist who has covered sports for 24 years.

As a fan, Vides recalled that at the end of the 90s, similar behaviors began to be adopted by the brave bars of South America, specifically Argentina, from where not only chants were imported, but also “taking the rags off the rival bar”, that is That is, strip them of their banners or any other support element.

“As time went by, the soccer leadership approached the police to have support from security agents when there were matches, and it seems to me that this situation has been diminishing,” he added.

In the case of Guatemala, there is a disciplinary regulation of the Guatemalan Football Federation that penalizes football teams for disciplinary offenses committed on and off the playing field.

The sanctions are imposed by the Disciplinary Body of the same federation and include fines from 300 quetzales, about 40 dollars, to 150,000 quetzales, about 19,000 dollars.

There is also a law that sanctions referees for their performances in games.

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