In Santa Fe, a women’s football final that had swung from late drama to Venezuelan celebration ended in an on-field confrontation between Venezuela and Chile at the 2026 South American Games.
The news from the club
Venezuela claimed the gold medal after defeating Chile 4-2 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes. The Vinotinto had rescued the match near the end of regulation before taking the final to the spot.
Chile’s final penalty struck the crossbar and went out, confirming Venezuela’s victory. Venezuelan players immediately gathered to celebrate, while the Chilean side reacted to the missed opportunity with visible disappointment. Some players hit the turf and others were in tears after coming within one kick of the title.
The mood then changed quickly. A Chile player ran towards a Venezuelan opponent to confront her, drawing teammates from both sides into a crowd on the pitch. There were shoves, protests and several heated exchanges as the two squads came together.
Natsumy Millones was among those involved at the most volatile point of the incident. A member of Chile’s coaching staff had to hold her back as staff from both benches moved in to separate the players and prevent the situation from escalating.
The disturbance was brought under control after a short period, allowing Venezuela to resume its gold-medal celebrations. Chile left Santa Fe with silver after the narrow shoot-out defeat.
A recent pattern for Chile
The scenes followed another recent confrontation involving Chile’s women’s national team. Chile won a friendly against Uruguay 2-1, but that match also finished amid pushing and blows between players after the decisive goal.
