Football
ESPN staff 7y

One fan dead from violence following Vasco da Gama-Flamengo match

One individual has been confirmed dead after fan violence erupted in the wake of a match between Brazil rivals Flamengo and Vasco da Gama on Saturday night.

Rio de Janeiro military police were called into action at Vasco's Estadio Sao Januario when angry home fans began rioting in the stands, hurling missiles onto the pitch and setting off smoke bombs after Flamengo's 1-0 league victory.

Confrontations -- many between Vasco fans -- spilled onto the streets outside the stadium, where 27-year-old Vasco supporter David Rocha Lopes was shot and later pronounced dead upon arrival at Hospital Souza Aguiar in Rio's central district.

Lopes was initially identified by the G1 news website.

Three others were also hospitalised as a result of the violence -- two with gunshot wounds and one injured by shrapnel, according to Brazil's O Globo newspaper.

Vasco president Eurico Miranda apologised for the lamentable scenes following the game, saying the behaviour from fans was unbefitting of the club.

"What happened here is not Vasco. I am asking for apologies in the name of Vasco. Actually, what happened here is something that has no justification," he said.

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