A Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) match between the Milwaukee Wave and Tacoma Stars on Saturday ended in chaos as a massive brawl broke out between players. The Wave emerged victorious, winning 7-6, with 10 different players scoring goals in the wild matchup.
The fight began when Tacoma’s Stefan Mijatovic was shoved by a Wave player after shaking hands with opponents following the game. Wave goalkeeper William Banahene and Mijatovic got into a heated argument, and another Wave player, Qudus Lawal, was pushed onto his own bench, where he appeared to address Mijatovic.
The situation took some time to deescalate, but eventually, Mijatovic broke free and chased a Wave player into the tunnel, where the events that transpired were unclear. The MASL announced suspensions for the players involved in the incident on Tuesday.
Mijatovic was given a four-game suspension for his in-game and post-game conduct, as well as using unprofessional, offensive, and abusive language. He will also be fined and required to complete an anger management course. Roman Torres and Luis Birrueta of the Stars were given one-game suspensions, while Wave players Lawal, Derek Huffman, and Tenzin Rampa were suspended for two games.
The league emphasized that all players, staff, and personnel are expected to demonstrate professionalism and self-discipline, regardless of the circumstances. As of Thursday morning, the Wave was in fourth place in the standings, while the Stars were in 10th place.
