Argentina takes a back seat to no one when it comes to sports riots

Jun 27, 2011, 10:03 AM EDT

One feature missing at the recent hockey riots in Vancouver: the trusy ol’ high-pressure water cannon. No good Argentinian riot squad is without one, and it came in handy on Sunday in one of the most ugly sports riots ever. River Plate played to a 1-1 draw with Belgrano in the second leg of their demotion series, meaning that River Plate was sent down to the second division for the first time in the team’s 110-year history. Its fans were not amused.

The game sparked an ugly street battles between police and fans with dozens injured inside and outside River’s Monumental stadium.

Violence broke a minute before the match was over. Angry fans pelted players with objects thrown from the stands, and police replied with high-powered fire hoses.

As fans were pounded with jets of water, River Plate’s players huddled on the pitch, many in tears, including goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo.

The mayhem quickly spread outside River’s 50,000-seat stadium. Alberto Crescenti, head of emergency medical services, said at least 55 people had been injured, some of them police.