United States manager Emma Hayes said she had “an experience I will never forget” after her side’s bad-tempered 1-0 win over Brazil in Fortaleza saw the home team handed eight red cards.
Brazil head coach Arthur Elias. three members of his staff were dismissed towards the end of the second half before police in riot gear surrounded the match officials on the pitch at full-time after further flashpoints.
In front of a crowd of 55,744. forward Bia Zaneratto was sent off in added time for a second yellow card before teammate Tarciane was ordered off for elbowing USA forward Sophia Wilson.
Kerolin was red-carded after the final whistle when she confronted referee Paola Cebollada Lopez. Ludmila then suffered the same fate, for sarcastically applauding the Spanish official.
“To say that it was a game of battles, that’s one way to describe it,” Hayes said after the match. “To come and play in Brazil and win in Brazil, I think, is extremely tough.
“The crowd create the conditions to make it difficult but this is what it is,. what I am certain of is that when the World Cup comes here next year with Fifa, there will be very clear behavioural expectations for all of us, which there should be. It’s a global game.
“We are excited, if we qualify, to come back here because, as I have said many times, I have a lot of respect for Brazil. it was an experience I will never forget.”
Wilson’s match-winner was ultimately credited as an own goal after her shot deflected off defender Isabela Chagas past the wrong-footed Lorena in the 63rd minute. Wilson scored her 25th international goal in a 2-1 loss to the same Brazilian side in Sao Paulo on Saturday.
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