The Copa Libertadores match between Brazil's Santos and Argentina's Independiente had to be called off before the final whistle Tuesday night after angry local fans fought with police and threw fireworks onto the pitch.

The second leg of the round-of-16 match was tied 0-0 with less than 10 minutes to go when Santos supporters started ripping seats from the stands and later stormed the pitch. They were furious over a decision announced by governing body CONMEBOL less than nine hours earlier that Independiente had been awarded a 3-0 win in the first leg, despite that match also ending 0-0, after Santos fielded an ineligible player.

That ruling was over a three-year-old red card, as Uruguayan midfielder Carlos Sanchez was still carrying a suspension in CONMEBOL competitions after being sent off in a Copa Sudamericana match in 2015.

The continental body said the 0-0 result from the second leg would stand, meaning Independiente advanced. It will face Racing or River Plate in the tournament's quarterfinals.

The incident has once again cast the spotlight on CONMEBOL, an organization tainted by mismanagement and a series of graft scandals involving its previous top leaders in recent years.

Santos' 17-year-old striker Rodrygo, who was recently signed by Real Madrid, said he would have acted like the fans did if he were on the stands.

"This is shameful. These fans are totally right," he told journalists. "We need to understand how fans feel. We went to Argentina, played as hard as we could, drew 0-0 and then we arrive here losing 3-0. CONMEBOL is responsible."

Hours later Rodrygo said on his social media channels that he regretted his statements and that he is against fan violence.

Santos right-back Victor Ferraz said the first-leg ruling was making him think of hanging his boots.

"CONMEBOL gave this qualification to Independiente, this is unbelievable, unexplainable and I can't quite believe it," the 30-year-old player said on social media. "When I saw that chaos on the pitch I could only think that those that caused such suffering were not there to feel the fear, the anger they had caused."

The match in Buenos Aires two weeks ago was Sanchez' first game back under CONMEBOL's jurisdiction since 2015, having left to play for Mexico's Monterrey.

Officials at the Pacaembu stadium in Sao Paulo said 60 seats were ripped off during the incident.