Palmeiras have advanced to the 2022 Sao Paulo Youth Football Cup Final after defeating home side Sao Paulo 1-0 at Stadium Arena Barueri on Saturday in the competition's Semi-Finals. Thanks to the victory, the White-Green youngsters' hunt for a once-in-a-lifetime achievement continues, but their brilliant performance had been overshadowed by some unpleasant scenes.
The crowd outbursts in Brazil have continued, and the latest one happened in the country's biggest 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 more spectators 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. The Verdão' players' demands for the game to be called off were ignored, and the knife-wielding pitch invader was eventually apprehended by the police.
Sao Paulo vs Palmeiras: Fan enters field with knife in hand
Palmeiras' left-back Ian discovered the melee weapon on the field of play and testified at Arena Barueri after the final whistle, as did Freitas, who was approached by the Paulista Tricolour supporter, Globoesporte reports.
Fearing the worst, Alviverde's young talents even requested that the game be stopped, but the match referee re-started it. All players imminently rushed to their dressing rooms once the final whistle was blown. Four fans were held in the Special Criminal Court to give testimony, according to the portal UOL Esporte.
"We have no control over this sort of event. We were furious, we attempted to restrain our players, we did everything we could," Palmeiras U-20 coach Paulo Victor Gomes told SporTV after the game. In spite of the upsetting incident, Gomes' boys will go on to face Santos in the Copinha Final on Tuesday, January 25.
