The match was cut short and four players were sent off in Thursday night’s CONCACAF Nations League semi-final between the United States and Mexico.
The USA ran out 3-0 winners, but the referee blew the final whistle just seven minutes into the 12 minutes of added time due to homophobic chants resurfacing, after he had previously halted play in the 89th minute for the same reason.
USA duo Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest were sent off, while Mexico’s Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga were shown red cards for Mexico. Montes’s dismissal was for kicking the Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who was an England U21 international as recently as earlier this year.
After that tackle in the 69th minute, McKennie was sent off for playing his part in a brawl. Then Arteaga and Dest were sent off following another bust-up.
The stadium announcer warned supporters that the match was at risk of suspension if homophobic chanting continued, and drinks were hurled from the stands by fans as a result. The referee then blew for full-time midway through the scheduled added-time.
CONCACAF said it "strongly condemns the discriminatory chanting" during the game. Mexico’s football association has been handed numerous fines in the past by FIFA after homophobic chanting by their fans.
Speaking after the game, in which he scored two of the USA’s three goals, Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic said: “It’s a great scoreline for us, it’s a big win and we’re into the final. But the game didn’t need to turn into all the madness that it did.
“They really need to control the game much more. It’s sad. And now we’re missing two good players just because everyone’s losing their heads. I’m a little bit upset but at the end of the day we’re in the final.”
The USA face Canada in the Nations League final in Nevada on Monday.
