{"id":41046,"date":"2025-11-16T04:22:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T04:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/41046\/"},"modified":"2025-11-16T04:22:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T04:22:08","slug":"usmnt-paraguay-descends-into-chaos-with-very-dangerous-brawl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/41046\/","title":{"rendered":"USMNT-Paraguay descends into chaos with ‘very dangerous’ brawl"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHESTER, Pa. \u2014 There wasn\u2019t much love at the end of the U.S. men\u2019s national team\u2019s friendly with Paraguay<\/a> at the home of the MLS team that represents the City of Brotherly Love.<\/p>\n

Tempers flared in the final minutes of the match when Alex Freeman and Paraguay\u2019s Gustavo G\u00f3mez tussled over a ball after it had been kicked out of bounds, leading to a benches-clearing brawl that included USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino getting knocked to the ground.<\/p>\n

Pochettino said he had been looking in another direction when he heard the scuffle break out, but when he turned to try and intervene, he was knocked down. \u201cLucky that [Paraguay coach] Gustavo Alfaro saw me and say, wait, and helped me with some staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

The entire scuffle at the end of the USA-Paraguay match following the altercation between Alex Freeman and Paraguay\u2019s Gustavo G\u00f3mez that caused benches to clear in stoppage time. pic.twitter.com\/9JEDgNZapc<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 USMNT Only (@usmntonly) November 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Initially, Freeman and G\u00f3mez were the only ones involved, but quickly, both teams came rushing over and punches were thrown amid the melee. <\/p>\n

At one point, Freeman shoved a Paraguayan player outside of the main scrum after that player had a hold of the American defender.<\/p>\n

A bottle was thrown toward the pitch from the stands as the scuffle was happening.<\/p>\n

\"AA bottle could also be seen flying toward the pitch from the stands during the scuffle. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

USMNT goalkeeper and New York City FC star Matt Freese said that he was happy to see his teammates rally and come to the aid of each other during the fight, but wasn\u2019t happy about some of the things that occurred from the Paraguay side during it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a few cheap shots thrown from their end, to be honest,\u201d he said. \u201cBut that\u2019s part of being a team and we\u2019re going to be standing up for each other no matter the end of the game, beginning of the game, middle of the game, on the sideline like that. That\u2019s what it means to be a team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"APochettino said he had been looking in another direction when he heard the scuffle break out, but when he turned to try and intervene, he was knocked down. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Freese joked that he\u2019s never moved as quickly as he did to jump into the fray, but declined to say if he got a shot in. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll keep it diplomatic,\u201d he responded.<\/p>\n

Six yellow cards combined were assessed due to the fight and Omar Alderete was given a red card.<\/p>\n

Pochettino called the melee a \u201cvery dangerous situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like this type of situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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