Four injured hospitalized
Supporters of Brazil and Argentina football teams have clashed in Brahmanbaria following petty arguments over the ongoing Copa America, leaving at least four people injured.
Police and locals said the incidents took place at Damchail village under Sadekpur union of Brahmanbari's Sadar upazila on Tuesday.
According to locals, 60-year-old Nawab Mia's nephew Rezaul – an avid Brazil supporter – locked into an altercation with Argentina fan Md Jibon over a match between Brazil and Peru around 8:30am Tuesday.
The verbal altercation at one point turned physical, following which locals got involved and attempted to resolve the matter after separating them.
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However, Jibon and several others from their Argentina supporters group assaulted Nawab after finding him alone at Damchail Bazar in the afternoon. Nawab was admitted to Brahmanbaria 250-Bed General Hospital soon after.
Later that night, around 9pm, Rezaul and several Brazil supporters, retaliated and injured three Argentine supporters.
The injured – Selim, 45, Jakir Mia, 32, and Syedabur Rahman, 35 – were also taken to the same hospital.
Sadar police OC Md Emranul Islam said additional police personnel were sent to that area to maintain law and order after they learned about the clashes.
“However, no one has filed a complaint yet,” he added.
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Copa America is the football tournament contested among the national teams from South America. It is also the oldest still-running international football competition.
Hosts Brazil beat Peru 1-0 in Monday's first semi-final and Argentina beat Colombia in a penalty shoot-out in the second semi-final on Tuesday.
That has set up the arch-rivals to face off in the final of this year’s Copa America at the Maracana on Saturday.
A Neymar-less Brazil had knocked out Argentina two years ago in the semi-finals of the same tournament. Brazil were crowned champions that year.
Argentina won the last of their 14 Copa America titles in 1993. On the other hand, Brazil won the tournament nine times - five of them when they were hosts.
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