Palmeirashave advanced to the 2022 Sao Paulo Youth Football Cup Finalafter defeating home sideSaoPaulo 1-0 at Stadium Arena Barueri on Saturday in the competitionās Semi-Finals. Thanks to thevictory, theWhite-Greenyoungstersāhunt for a once-in-a-lifetime achievement continues, but theirbrilliant performancehadbeen overshadowed by some unpleasant scenes.
The crowd outbursts in Brazil have continued, and the latest one happened in the countryāsbiggest youth tournament. In the 50th minute, a Sao Paulo fan ran into the field holding a knife,in an attempt to settle accounts with 21-year-old Palmeiras defender, Lucas Freitas. The home fans were quick to react, but then two morespectators jumped from the stands.
The prestigious Semi-Final decider was halted for a few minutes, and it was the local players that intervened to prevent a disaster. TheVerdĆ£oā playersādemands for the game to be called off were ignored, and the knife-wielding pitch invaderwas eventually apprehended by the police.
Sao Paulo vs Palmeiras: Fan enters field with knife in hand
Palmeirasā left-back Ian discovered the melee weapon on the field of play and testified at Arena Barueri after the final whistle, as didFreitas, who was approached bythe PaulistaTricolour supporter, Globoesporte reports.
Fearing the worst, Alviverdeāsyoung talents even requested that the game be stopped, but the match referee re-started it. All players imminentlyrushed to their dressing rooms once the final whistle was blown.Four fans were held in the Special Criminal Courtto give testimony, according to the portal UOL Esporte.
āWe have no control over thissortof event. We were furious, we attempted to restrain our players, we did everythingwe could,āPalmeiras U-20 coach Paulo Victor Gomes toldSporTVafter the game.In spite of the upsetting incident, Gomesāboys will go on to faceSantos in the Copinha Final on Tuesday, January 25.
