Thailand, Mexico mix it up after soccer game

The World University Games were marred Tuesday by a brawl after a soccer game between host Thailand and Mexico in Bangkok.

The quarterfinal game, which Thailand won, 1-0, was highlighted by four red cards, a melee on the field that involved fans and police and resulted in two Thai players and a Thai coach being suspended for the rest of the games.

Thailand will play Ukraine in a semifinal Thursday with only 15 players available.

Problems erupted in the fourth minute of extra time when Thai goalkeeper Umarin Yaodam and Mexican midfielder Marco Valverde collided in the penalty area, according to the Nation, a Bangkok newspaper.

Both players got a red card. The Mexican team argued for a penalty kick, but none was awarded and the game was delayed for 10 minutes. Before play resumed, Canadian referee Paul Ward gave red cards to Thailand’s Wisarut Pannasi and Mexico’s Daniel Rojas.

A brawl broke out on the field after the final whistle.

“Police intervened, but it was another 10 minutes before order was restored,” the Nation wrote.

Afterward, Eric Saintrong, director of the International University Sports Federation, announced that Yaodam and Pannasi, and Thailand assistant coach Montri Khrueawan were suspended for the tournament.

Diego Lopez, Rojas and Valverde of Mexico and Tevarit Jumsom, a substitute for Thailand who did not play, were given one-game suspensions.

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