Colombia’s 1-0 win over Uruguay in their 2024 Copa América semifinal clash on Wednesday was blemished by a series of incidents after the match that saw La Celeste players climbing into the stands.

The spark that started it all was the Uruguayan’s claim that the Colombians had spent large chunks of the second half — where they found themselves a man down after Daniel Muñoz was sent off — wasting time to hold on to their 1-0 win.

Striker Luis Suárez accused his former FC Barcelona teammate, defender Yerry Mina, of faking an injury in the last minutes of the clash. Striker Miguel Borja jumped to Mina’s defense and a tussle started between them, with more players from both sides quickly getting involved.

“There’s always some fights, some laughs, whatever,” said Suárez after the game. “What annoyed us the most was Borja’s slimy celebrations; it made no sense.”

The fights on the pitch quickly moved on to the stands, as Uruguay’s Darwin Núñez and Ronald Araújo climbed into the seats and fought Colombian fans. 

According to Uruguay captain José María Giménez, they did it to protect their families, who were being attacked by “an avalanche of Colombian fans”. “We had to get our loved ones out of there, some with newborn babies; there was no police,” he added. “It was a disaster, our families were in danger.”

Uruguayan Football Association president Ignacio Alonso backed Giménez, claiming it was a “natural, instinctive reaction by fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons when seeing their families in a very troublesome situation.”

He added that the players’ families couldn’t leave the stadium given that match protocol dictates that, in the case of incidents, fans should be allowed to evacuate into the pitch, and were thus being surrounded and harassed by Colombian fans.

Conmebol, the South American Football Association, released a statement after the game, “energicaly condemning any act of violence in football” and “inviting everyone in the remaining days [in the tournament] to use their passion to cheer on their national team.”

Colombia will face Argentina, who won their semifinal clash against Canada on Tuesday, in the final looking to lift their second ever Copa America. The match will kick off on Sunday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 8 p.m. local time, 9 p.m. Argentina.