USMNT Friendly Ends in Scuffle After Late Goals and Altercation
A late goal surge and ensuing bench-clearing brawl overshadowed a 4-2 victory for the U.S. Men's National Team over Chile in St. Louis.
The United States Men's National Team secured a 4-2 victory over Chile in a friendly match on Tuesday in St. Louis, a game that concluded with a bench-clearing brawl in stoppage time. The physical altercation erupted in the final moments of the match after a Chilean player appeared to kick at U.S. goalkeeper Brian Schwake following a loose ball.
Chris Richards had given the USMNT a 3-2 lead in the 72nd minute, and 17-year-old Mathis Albert added a fourth goal in the 93rd minute to seal the win. It was Albert's goal that proved to be a historic moment, as he became the youngest player in U.S. Men's National Team history to score.
Nearly a minute after Albert's goal, as Schwake secured possession, Chilean forward Leandro Hernandez continued toward the goalkeeper and appeared to kick at the ball. Richards reacted to the perceived slight, and the incident quickly escalated, drawing players from both benches onto the field in a heated exchange. U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino was seen in the middle of the scuffle, attempting to de-escalate the situation.
"It’s a crazy situation," Pochettino stated after the match. "You try to divide the players and calm down. Sometimes, when you are winning you have to understand the opponent may go to the line and walk over the line in frustration."
U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams was particularly animated during the confrontation, shouting at Chilean players while being restrained by teammates. After order was restored, only Richards and Hernandez received yellow cards for the incident.
The match itself saw the teams trading goals, with the first half ending in a 1-1 tie. Both sides scored within six minutes of the second half to make it 2-2 before Richards' go-ahead goal and Albert's record-setting tally secured the victory for the United States.