No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomesportsSoccerAt least 11 arrested as fights in bleachers mar Saprissa vs. Alajuelense...

At least 11 arrested as fights in bleachers mar Saprissa vs. Alajuelense soccer match

Deportivo Saprissa and Liga Deportiva Alajuelense tied at a goal apiece in the Costa Rican football classic, played Sunday afternoon at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in San Juan de Tibás.

Christian Bolaños — who featured in Costa Rica’s last three World Cup appearances — opened scoring in the 15th minute.

The Alajuelenses equaled in 49th minute with Jonathan McDonald, who scored his 17th goal in Costa Rican classics. In addition, ‘Big Mac’ became the ninth-best scorer in Costa Rican club soccer history with 41.

Two players were expelled: Honduran Alex Lopez, for La Liga, and Manfred Ugalde, for Saprissa.

And that tension spilled into the bleachers as the game was interrupted on two occasions, both in the first half, by incidents with the so-called Ultra Morada (“ultras” who support Saprissa), who fought among themselves.

According to a report from the National Police, there were at least 11 people detained following the commotion.

Elsewhere in Costa Rican club soccer, a match between Guadeloupe and Grecia was postponed due to a problem with the latter’s participation license.

Trending Now

Voter Turnout Rises in Costa Rica as Abstention Drops

Sunday’s election day brings good news for all of Costa Rica: voter abstention decreased. This means that more people decided to participate in these...

Alcaraz Edges Zverev in Five-Set Epic to Reach Australian Open Final

Carlos Alcaraz fought through the longest semifinal in Australian Open history to defeat Alexander Zverev and advance to the men's singles final. The top-seeded...

Panama Cancels Canal Concession as China Vows to Protect Firms

Panama’s Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the concession under which the Hong Kong company CK Hutchison operated two ports on the Panama Canal, a...

Final Debate Sharpens Voter Choices Ahead of Costa Rica’s Election

Five presidential candidates faced off in the final televised debate on Thursday night, laying out their visions for tackling Costa Rica's pressing challenges in...

Latin American Governments Violate Human Rights Under Cover of Trump Policies

Far from curbing Donald Trump’s assault on the global human rights system, several Latin American governments are using the U.S. president’s policies as an...

Under U.S. Influence, Venezuela Eases State Grip on Oil for Economic Revival

Venezuela's National Assembly has passed a landmark reform to its hydrocarbons law, marking a significant shift toward opening the country's vast oil reserves to...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica