During a tense MLS match between New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia, emotions boiled over late in extra time. Red Bulls midfielder Dru Yearwood, frustrated after a likely loss, booted the ball into the stands. The kick hit a woman in the face, then appeared to bounce off a child in front of her, and possibly even struck a third fan. The ball was hit with real force, drawing concern for a nearby infant caught on camera. Yearwood quickly realized what he’d done and tried to apologize by going into the crowd. He appeared visibly shaken and remorseful.
But the situation didn’t settle there. The brother of the woman hit wasn’t having it. Despite being a Red Bulls fan, he physically pushed Yearwood away and draped a team scarf over him in a clear rejection of the apology. The crowd’s reaction was tense, and the moment stood out for the unusual confrontation between a player and a fan of the same team. Yearwood was shown a red card and left the field looking distraught.
It’s rare to see a player enter the stands to apologize, and even rarer to see that apology turned down so harshly. The whole sequence was a mess from start to finish. No reported injuries have surfaced yet, but it’s clear how badly the situation could have gone, especially with a baby sitting just seats away.