Columbus Crew 1-3 West Ham United: Your Reaction To The Game And Violence

Nothing much usually happens in Ohio. Last night was an exception, though. West Ham United beat Columbus Crew 3-1 in a preseason friendly at the Columbus Crew Stadium, but most of the action happened off the pitch, not on it.According to the Washington Post, a halftime brawl between more than 100 fans marred the match.

The fights, which overshadowed West Ham United’s 3-1 win, began when a handful of West Ham supporters, some wearing the team’s claret and blue colors, entered the northeast corner of the stadium where the Crew’s most boisterous supporters typically gather.

Crew supporters began directing chants toward the rival fans, and fights quickly broke out between more than 100 Crew fans and at least 30 West Ham fans. Columbus police officers and Crew Stadium security staff eventually separated the groups.

Highway Patrol officers arrested one fan outside the stadium for disorderly conduct, Patrol spokeswoman Anne Ralston said. A dispatcher didn’t know whether Columbus police had made any arrests inside the stadium.

Were you at the game and did you witness what happened? If so, share your thoughts below by clicking the comments link.

In the meantime, here’s a report from the game where it sounds like West Ham won with ease.