By Chris Wright
They may have only been kiddywinkles, but there were some truly horrendous scenes during last night’s U16s Milk Cup game between Northern Ireland and Mexico in Belfast.
As the Belfast Telegraph report, a vicious little brawl broke out during the 57th-minute of the match as Northern Ireland prepared to take a corner.
Punches and kicks went flying about amid the melee as several players from both sides were floored during the fight.
Both benches then spilled out onto the pitch before officials and stewards finally managed to contain the hostility and sent off three players for their respective parts in the violence: Mexico’s Raul Monala Gudino, Carlos Arreola (for a vicious kick on a prostrate player, right underneath the ref’s nose), along with Northern Ireland’s Robbie McDaid.
The game was then stopped again in the 89th minute when another mini-brawl flared up, with Mexico’s Kevin Gutierrez becoming the fourth player to be dismissed for lashing out at an opponent.
The referee then blew the final whistle without restarting the game, with Northern Ireland winning 2-1.
Bloody kids these days!