LOS ANGELES: Luis Suarez appeared to spit at a staff member of the opposing team during an ugly brawl following Inter Miami’s 3-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday.

Immediately after the final whistle at Lumen Field, veteran Uruguay striker Suarez rushed at 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, sparking a melee involving multiple players and staff from both sides.

Officials scrambled to restore order, but cameras caught Suarez appearing to spit at a Seattle coach as he walked away from Vargas.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said afterwards he was too far away to comment on any specific incidents.

“Nobody likes these kinds of actions at the end of a match, but if there’s a reaction, maybe there was provocation,” he said.

Certainly, there were multiple scuffles before the trophy ceremony finally got underway, with both teams still in attendance.

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer took the high road, preferring to focus on the strong collective effort from his team in a victory over a Miami side led by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.

“Unfortunately, that is going to take some of the attention away from a great performance by the Seattle Sounders,” Schmetzer said of the brawl.

“I guess we can take that as a compliment that Miami’s frustrations led to some things happening on the field that shouldn’t happen on the field.

“I’m going to shut that down because that shouldn’t be the story,” said Schmetzer, who added he had a “quiet moment” with Messi on the field after the game.

But Suarez will be under scrutiny for his role.

The 38-year-old’s reputation as one of the game’s arch villains was cemented when he bit Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup.

He has also been sanctioned for biting incidents and racist abuse of an opposing player in club play.

Pakistan is set to host one of the biggest international sporting events in its history as the World Masters Weightlifting Championship will be staged in Islamabad in February next year.

More than 500 athletes from across all seven continents are expected to participate in the competition.

According to a press release issued by the Pakistan Masters Weightlifting Association (PMWA) on Sunday, the event will be held under the prestigious “Grand Prix” banner and will run alongside the Asian Masters Championship, bringing together top weightlifters from around the world. Both men’s and women’s competitions will be contested.

Calling the development a “major milestone in the country’s sporting history,” PMWA President Arshad Khan said, “The staging of the World and Asian Masters Championships is a great honour for Pakistan and recognition of our consistent success at Masters level. It will also strengthen Pakistan’s profile as a host of international sporting events.”

In preparation for the event, a five-member delegation of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is scheduled to visit Islamabad from September 9 to 12 to inspect venues and review the arrangements.

Sports officials say the successful hosting of the championship will not only highlight Pakistan’s sporting potential but also serve as an opportunity to showcase the country’s ability to host large-scale international tournaments.