Costa Rican fans stabbed after Cup loss

Two Costa Rican fans have been stabbed at a public gathering to watch the country's World Cup loss to the Netherlands.

A brawl broke out amidst more than 1000 supporters who had gathered at the Plaza de la Democracia in the city of San Jose to watch the quarter-final cliffhanger on Sunday morning, which ended in a 4-3 loss on penalities for Costa Rica after the teams tied at 0-0 after extra time.

The high emotions led to the violent clash between fans, with two injured from a stabbing and a third treated by paramedics after being hit with a bottle, the Tico Times reports.

Police arrested eight people, although how the fight actually began is still unclear.

Photos taken moments after the brawl, some too graphic to publish, show injured fans being treated at the square, one appearing to have suffered a stab wound to his torso.

Tico Times reporter Lindsay Fendt, who was at the scene, said fans at the back of the plaza did not realise the violence in front of them and continued cheering for the national team as the drama unfolded.

An ambulance took away the three injured people on stretchers.

Source: The Tico Times.

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