A fan accused of throwing a beer can at US men’s soccer star Gio Reyna has been arrested and permanently banned from Denver’s Empower Field following several incidents between spectators and players during Team USA’s victory over rival Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League final on Sunday night.
Pablo Ibarra Fuentes, 30, was spotted among a group of Team Mexico fans, who were throwing cups, bottles, and cans at American players after Christian Pulisic scored the go-ahead goal in Team USA’s 3-2 win. One can, allegedly thrown by Fuentes, struck Reyna in the head, dropping him to the turf. Reyna left with trainers after being hit in the head with the can, but he later returned to the field for the trophy celebration and appeared to be fine.
Los Angeles FC announcer Max Bretos was sitting in that section of the stadium at the time, and told Fox News he believes Reyna was hit with a full beer can from about 20 yards away.
‘You could hear the impact of those things,’ said Bretos.
Fuentes was arrested for throwing a projectile. Denver police did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for more information.
Team USA’s Giovanni Reyna was hit in the face with an object while celebrating teammate Christian Pulisic’s go-ahead goal in the 109th minute. Reyna, who scored Team USA’s first goal, was examined on the field before being helped off by trainers.
Reyn (right), the son of US soccer legend Claudio, left with trainers after being hit in the head with the can, but later returned to the field for the trophy celebration and appeared to be fine
Angry Team Mexico fans begin throwing cups and bottles at Team USA after Christian Pulisic netted the go-ahead goal on a penalty kick in extra time
Team USA’s Tim Weah (the son of former pro player and President of Liberia, George Weah) is seen getting hit with an object from the stands after Christian Pulisic netted his penalty kick
Team USA looks up into the crowd amid a cascade of empty cups and bottles
Police said Monday they had no information on Fuentes’s nationality, but a Lexis Nexis search reveals someone with his exact name and age has been registered to vote in Colorado since 2008, when he would have turned 18.
Fuentes was among five fans who were arrested at Empower Field, where Team Mexico fans were also repeatedly warned about using anti-gay chants during Sunday’s game. Other arrested individuals include Isaac Ramirez, 21, Nicholas Sellers, 32, Marilu Carrizosa, 46, and Baltazar Ramirez Rodriguez, 28, all of whom are facing trespassing charges.
‘In addition to ejecting several individuals for violating the fan code of conduct, our security staff worked closely with the Denver Police Department to identify five people who were arrested—four for trespassing and one for throwing projectiles,’ arena officials said in a statement on Monday.
‘The person arrested for throwing an object on the field was identified through security footage as being responsible for injuring a U.S. player. Along with facing criminal charges, this patron will be banned from all future events at Empower Field at Mile High.’
One was seen jumping through the CBS Sports set during a segment following the end of regulation. The man appeared to jump over the railing and out of the reach of security, but it’s unclear what happened to him after that
Messages across the board remind fans to stay civil during the first half of the championship game at the Concacaf Nations League Finals at Empower Field at Mile High
Team USA’s backup goalkeeper Ethan Horvath seals the win by denying Mexico’s Andres Guardado on a penalty kick in the 124th minute
Bretos said he was sitting behind the raucous Team Mexico fans and saw the situation unfold.
‘He was struggling to walk,’ Bretos said of Reyna. ‘He looked like somebody who took a punch.’
‘Some people should spend the night in jail tonight, or longer,’ Bretos tweeted at the time.
There were other incidents, including one in which a fan ran onto the field in extra time. He was quickly corralled by security.
Minutes earlier, another fan was seen jumping through the CBS Sports set during a segment at the end of regulation. The man appeared to jump over the railing and out of the reach of security, but it’s unclear what happened to him after that.
As for the anti-gay chant, the match was briefly stopped in extra time as players from both teams pleaded with fans to stop. Mexico’s semifinal win over Costa Rica was also paused over the same chant, which originated at the club level but has been adopted by fans of the national team, according to multiple reports from the country.
Mexico fans show their support during the CONCACAF Nations League Championship Final between the United States and Mexico at Empower Field At Mile High
