Riot police were forced to step in on Monday when a Concacaf Nations League match between Guatemala and Suriname ended in a mass pitch brawl.
The fixture was decided by a 96th-minute winner from Matthew Evans, giving Guatemala a 1-0 victory. The result secured Guatemala a place in the Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals while knocking Suriname out of the competition.
However, the encounter was marred by allegations of racist abuse directed at Suriname players, which led to a red card, a ten-minute delay, and violent clashes after the final whistle.
Red card and pitch brawl
Trouble began in the second half when Suriname were reduced to ten men after Richonell Margaret was sent off following an incident with home supporters. Margaret was allegedly targeted with racist abuse from the crowd prior to his dismissal.
Following the incident, referee Joe Dickerson made the X gesture, which is FIFA's official signal indicating non-tolerance for racism. Dickerson then held discussions on the pitch with Suriname captain Myenty Abena.
After a delay of around ten minutes, Abena and his team-mates decided to resume playing with roughly 20 minutes remaining. But Margaret's red card triggered heated arguments between both benches, setting off a tense atmosphere that boiled over at full-time.
As soon as the match ended, players and coaching staff from both sides engaged in a chaotic brawl on the pitch. Videos recorded from the stands showed members of both teams exchanging blows while supporters screamed down at them.
The situation became so heated that riot police officers were forced to intervene. Officers ran onto the pitch in an attempt to separate the clashing players and officials.
Suriname captain calls for action
After the match, Suriname skipper Myenty Abena published a lengthy and emotional Instagram post about what had happened. He urged the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and world governing body FIFA to take action.
Abena explained that the team was subjected to racist abuse throughout the fixture. "During our match against Guatemala, we were subjected to racist abuse from the stands throughout the game. At one point, emotions took over and one of our players reacted," Abena wrote.
He defended his team-mate, adding: "Because behind every shirt is still a human being - with emotions and with limits. The referee decided to show him a red card, changing the entire course of the match."
Abena outlined the difficult decision he faced on the pitch as captain. "As captain, I was faced with a difficult decision: Do we walk off the pitch and accept the consequences, or do we continue with 10 men and refuse to let racism drive us away from the game we love?" he wrote.
"With around 20 minutes left, we chose to continue. Not because what happened was acceptable. Not because it didn't affect us. But because of our love for football, our country, and each other," Abena added.
Governing bodies urged to respond
Suriname player Richonell Margaret also shared several racist comments and images that had been sent to him on social media. He then posted an Instagram story aimed directly at the governing bodies.
"The entire stadium is making monkey noises at me and my teammates. Do we always have to accept this? @concacaf @concacafnationsleague @fifa," Margaret wrote.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino issued a statement condemning the abuse and offering support to Suriname.
"There is no place for racism or any form of discrimination in football," Infantino said. "The racist abuse directed at Suriname's players during last night's Concacaf Nations League match in Guatemala is absolutely unacceptable. Everyone at FIFA, The Players' Voice Panel and the whole football community stands firmly with any player, coach, match official, supporter or participant in a football match who has experienced racism or any other form of discrimination."
Infantino added: "We will continue to offer our unequivocal support to the Suriname Football Association, to ensure strong deterrents are in place and actions are taken to eradicate racism and discrimination from our game."
Suriname manager highlights repeating pattern
This is not the first time Suriname have encountered alleged racist abuse during away matches. A similar incident occurred during a World Cup qualifier in El Salvador last year.
Suriname general manager Brian Tevreden was on the touchline for both matches and strongly criticized the situation.
"This is scandalous, and it simply cannot go on like this," Tevreden said. "We are the ones being punished: the entire match was turned upside down. And beyond tonight, it's already the second time this has happened to us in Central America. It's disgraceful."
Tevreden indicated he is considering drastic action for future away games. "I am seriously considering no longer traveling with my team to places where this is allowed to happen. CONCACAF and FIFA really have to take action now," he said.
Background and tournament context
The Concacaf Nations League is the premier national team tournament organized by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. The competition features member associations from across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean fighting for regional honors and qualification positions.
Suriname, a South American country, competes as a member of CONCACAF alongside Central American nations like Guatemala and El Salvador. The 1-0 result sealed Guatemala's spot in the Nations League quarter-finals at Suriname's expense.
Both Abena and Tevreden insisted that awareness campaigns alone will not resolve racism in football. Abena urged authorities to deliver meaningful consequences.
"After our experience in El Salvador we continued with nothing but love for the game. Now experiencing this in Guatemala, we can no longer stay silent," Abena wrote. "If we truly want racism out of football, words and campaigns are not enough. There must be action and accountability when it happens."
