Patrick Ekeng, a 26-year-old defensive midfielder who plied his trade for Dinamo Bucharest in the Romanian 1st division, collapsed during action on Friday and was certified dead soon after.
Ekeng signed for Bucharest in January. He fell to the ground exactly seven minutes after coming on as a substitute in the league game against Viitorul Constanta.
He was immediately rushed to the hospital but all attempts to resuscitate him proved abortive.
“Resuscitation attempts were made for an hour and half without success,” Liviu Paltinean, the team doctor, told journalists.
“I can’t believe it. It’s a nightmare. For me, for the team and for all Dinamo supporters. It’s too much,” said club executive director and former player Ionel Danciulescu.
Ekeng’s former club Cordoba tweeted: “We have no words to express our sadness at the loss of Patrick Ekeng. We mourn your loss.”
Ekeng had previously laced his boots for Le Mans and Lausanne.
In June of 2003, another Cameroonian footballer, Marc Vivien Foe, died from a cardiac arrest on a football pitch in a Confederations Cup semifinal in Lyon.
Ekeng played for his country in the 2015 nations cup.
The post Cameroonian footballer slumps on pitch, dies appeared first on Ekekeee.