A United States men’s national team victory over Paraguay in a friendly match on Tuesday night was overshadowed by a late-game brawl that involved players from both teams and spilled into the sidelines, prompting intervention from both coaching staffs. The match,played in Asunción,Paraguay,ended in a 3-1 win for the USMNT,but the focus quickly shifted to the escalating tensions in the final minutes.
The incident, occurring after a series of physical challenges, escalated into a full-scale altercation, with players pushing and shoving near the touchline. USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese indicated the physicality wasn’t unexpected, stating, “Ther where a few cheap shots thrown from their end, to be honest. But that’s part of being a team. We’ll be sticking up for each other no matter the moment. That’s what it means.” the match served as a key preparation prospect for both teams ahead of upcoming international competitions,including the Copa América tournament for the United States this summer.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino downplayed the “friendly” nature of the contest, emphasizing the importance of competitive preparation. “We needed this type of game and the next one is going to be the same, it’s going to be competitive,” Pochettino said. “These are not ‘friendly’ games.That is important.”
During the melee, Pochettino was knocked near the touchline camera setup. Paraguayan coach Gustavo Alfaro assisted Pochettino to his feet. “I was trying to get in front of my players to avoid all the pushing and Mauricio tried to do the same, but he fell in front of the camera,” Alfaro explained through a translator.”I saw him and tried to help him up.” Pochettino expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m lucky that alfaro saw me and helped me up.”
