Brazil match abandoned after brawl, 9 red cards

RIO DE JANEIRO: A Brazilian state football championship match had to be abandoned after a mass brawl led to nine red cards — and there could be more punishments coming, authorities said on Monday. Bahia and Vitoria clashed on Sunday in the Bahia state championship, in the north-east of Brazil, when mayhem erupted. The spark came after Bahia equalized three minutes into the second half and goalscorer Vinicius celebrated with a vulgar gesture that simulated sex. In response, Vitoria goalkeeper Fernando Miguel confronted Vinicius, causing a ruckus. Seven players were sent off for their part in the brawl, while two more players were sent off later in the match, after which the referee abandoned the game with 11 minutes still to play as Vitoria had only six players left on the pitch. Football rules state that games cannot continue unless both teams have at least seven players — it means Bahia will likely be awarded a 3-0 victory. “The attitude of our goalkeeper was provocative and triggered the fight,” admitted Vitoria’s president, Ricardo David, on Sport TV. “From there on it was general. There were no saints. Everyone is guilty and they deserve to be punished.” That may now happen. The Bahia Football Federation said on Monday it would act “within the limits” of its authority and send a report to the state court to see what disciplinary measures might be taken.