Some more atrocious sporting violence from South America
Maybe it’s the altitude, or maybe it’s the mysterious inflatable tunnels that mysteriously lead into the ground, but something is riling up the blood of Bolivian footballers.
Blooming’s Sergio Jauregui was sent off in Sunday’s league match with Oriente Petrolero for his pushy retaliation to a perceived foul. This wasn’t all that Medina had stored up in his ‘hurt locker’ though, as he proceeded to deliver a brutal flying kung fu kick to the face of his enemy, leaving him unconscious.
Could you imagine the media outrage if this kind of thing happened in Europe? It would be, er, outrageous.
Spoiler bonus: More violent fun from Bolivia here and here
Psychotic pitch invader throws cup tie into disarray
South America’s reputation as the global epicentre of football violence was bolstered yesterday thanks to an incident that occurred during the Copa Sudamericana match between Bolivia’s Blooming and Uruguay’s River Plate.
Shortly after River Plate capitalised on a hideous goalkeeping error [0.12 in the video], a knife-wielding fan ran onto the pitch and attacked River’s Henry Gimenez. Thankfully, the moronic supporter was subdued before he could get “stabby”, but the referee had no option but to abandon the game. Blooming fans weren’t particularly happy with this decision, and proceeded to pelt the pitch with missiles and flares.
The was the first leg of the cup tie, and it’s currently not known whether River will be allowed to advance directly to the next stage, or if the authorities will risk playing out the return leg.
Impressive kid already exaggerating injury at a Premiership level
If anyone needs proof that a little bit of nepotism goes a long way, this is it. Over the weekend, Julio Cesar Baldivieso opted to give his 12-year-old son Mauricio Baldivieso a run out with Bolivian top flight side Club Aurora.
The nipper, who turns thirteen tomorrow, came on in the 35th minute in an away match with La Paz, and was given a rather nasty introduction to the world of professional football. At around [0.50] in the video Baldivieso is brought down with a challenge that left him in tears. This reaction would have brought his ability to handle football at the top level into question had he not saved grace by rolling around on the floor with all the aplomb and conviction of a true international star.
Baldiviesois now thought to be the youngest South American debutant, smashing the record set by 13-year-old Peruvian Fernando Garcia in 2001.
Beauty queen strikes up a partnership with Bolivian star
When they’re not smashing up the opposition on their crazy high altitude pitches, Bolivia’s football stars appear to enjoy romancing women who wear bikinis for a living.
Nowhere is this more clear than in the case of striker Marcelo Moreno, who has been linked to Miss Bolivia 2007 Jessica Jordan in the South American press. The on-loan Werder Bremen hitman, however, insists he is just friends with the 24-year-old beauty queen. Whatevs, Marcelo.
The Albicelestes fail to cope with high altitude conditions
Argentina yesterday suffered their biggest defeat in 60 years, as Bolivia came out as shock 6-1 winners in their South American World Cup Qualifier. Diego Maradona, who watched helplessly as his 100 per cent win record as manager slid away, said “Every Bolivia goal was a stab in my heart.”
Perhaps the stabbing pain in Maradona’s chest was due to the altitude: Bolivia play their home games 3,600m above sea level, and the Argentinian’s arrived in the capital La Paz just two hours before kick off. The Bolivians took advantage of the breathless visitors, who also had a man sent off.
FIFA tried to stop Bolivia from staging home games at such high altitude, but Maradona himself last year supported their campaign to keep playing in La Paz.
Who wants to see another South American football riot?
Our friends in South America tend to get an unfair wrap for their propensity to riot on the football field, but perhaps that’s because they do it so bloody often (evidence here, here, here and here). Over the weekend Bolivian champions Aurora played Wilsterman in an end of season tournament, during which a fist fight [2.30 in the video] saw a few of the players receive their marching orders. Wilsterman’s Eduardo Zenteno refused to leave the pitch, and a team of riot police escorted him from the field [5.00]. Clearly, Zenteno objected and a full scale brawl broke out, and police defended themselves from players’ karate kicks with pepper spray. Aurora keeper Silvio Dulcich even starts attacking the lawmen with a corner flag!
Amazingly, the ref chose not to banadon the game, but played after Wilsterman protested. Perhaps they shouldn’t have insisted so much, as Aurora came out 1-0 winners.
Loading ...