Trouble broke out in the second half on Saturday evening after Gimnasia-La Plata striker Martin Cardetti and San Lorenzo defender Pablo Quatrocchi were red-carded for fighting.

The pair insulted each other as they entered the tunnel with players and officials from both benches then joining in along with Gimnasia security officials, leading to a brawl.

Argentine media reports said San Lorenzo coach Oscar Ruggeri was punched by a Gimnasia official during the fighting.

The teams, who play in first division, returned to the field to complete the game, which ended 0-0.

San Lorenzo finished with eight men as Diego Rivero had been sent off before halftime for a second bookable offence followed by Sebastian Mendez early in the second half.

The Friendship Cup is a warm-up for the Argentine season which starts next weekend.

"It was madness," Gimnasia coach Pedro Troglio told La Nacion newspaper. "I didn't expect anything like this. It was a bad way for a friendly to end."