Norway Cup match descends into chaos as police intervene during Hallingdalen FK and Club Seminario clash

The Norway Cup match between Hallingdalen FK from Norway and Club Seminario from Uruguay turned chaotic during the round of 16 on Thursday night, leading to police intervention. Jan-Eirik Thorberg, the sports director of Hallingdalen FK, described the situation as “insane,” noting that the confrontation escalated despite starting off normally.

As Hallingdalen took an early lead of 1-0 in the second half, tensions flared, culminating in violent altercations on the field. The match saw multiple red cards issued, contributing to a heated atmosphere that sparked frustration among players.

Police arrived on the scene to de-escalate matters during the first half and again after the game concluded. Hanne Finanger, a police section leader, indicated that while they observed rising emotions due to referee decisions, they had not noted any behavior during the match that would warrant police action. After the game, there were reports of players approaching referees in a threatening manner, prompting police to facilitate their exit for safety reasons.

Thorberg highlighted the distress experienced by his players, claiming they felt threatened, leading some to request substitutions. Following the altercations, players reportedly made threatening gestures and used offensive language towards both opponents and spectators.

Domingo Martinelli from Club Seminario acknowledged the heated atmosphere during the match but insisted there was no ill-will between teams afterward. He praised the police’s management of the situation.

The match ended with Hallingdalen FK winning 1-0, but the repercussions of the incident linger. Norway Cup officials have yet to receive official complaints, and the matter may be reviewed further by a jury for any consequences.