Four killed during Colombia’s celebration of soccer title

Players of Colombia's Atletico Nacional celebrate after winning the Copa Libertadores final. (Fernando Vergara/AP)

BOGOTA — Colombia’s celebration of victory in the South American club soccer championship was marred by violence, with four fans killed in a night of boisterous revelry.

Authorities said they registered more than 600 street fights after Medellin’s Atletico Nacional scored a 1-0 defeat of Independiente del Valle of Ecuador in Wednesday night’s Copa Libertadores final.

It was Nacional’s second-ever title in the tournament and the first by a Colombian team since 2004.

One of those killed was wearing the shirt of a rival Medellin club when he was slashed in the neck with a knife. There were also reports that mobs of Nacional fans attacked adversaries in Bogota.

Police said at least 23 people were injured and more than 100 arrested.

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