The game that became a battlefield in Bolivia: 17 red cards and tear gas

The meeting between Real Oruro and Blooming, counting for the quarter-finals of the Bolivian Cup, ended chaotically with an authentic pitched battle that resulted in the display of 17 red cards and the intervention of the police.

After winning 2-1 in the first leg, Blooming drew 2-2 at the opponent’s ground, benefiting from a penalty converted in the 84th minute, a result that guaranteed qualification for the semi-finals. However, the party atmosphere only lasted for seconds. As soon as the final whistle sounded, players from both teams were involved in attacks near the access tunnel to the changing rooms, in a confusion that was apparently started by members of the home team.

The situation quickly worsened with the arrival of members of the technical teams and staff, forcing the intervention of around twenty police officers, who used tear gas to control the violence on the pitch and adjacent areas.

According to the official match report, Blooming saw seven players sent off, which seriously jeopardizes their presence in the semi-finals against Bolívar, while Real Oruro had four athletes receive a red card. These were also joined by expulsions aimed at coaches and assistants, making a total of 17 cards displayed.

The Bolivian press reports that the Real Oruro coach had to receive hospital care due to shoulder and head injuries, while a member of Blooming’s technical team suffered a facial fracture. Given the seriousness of the events, the Bolivian federation has already announced that it will apply severe disciplinary sanctions to those involved.