Photos: 26-year-old International Cameroon Footballer Collapses and Dies During a Match

A 26-year-old midfielder, Patrick Ekeng, who joined his club, Romanian Dinamo Bucharest club in January,on Friday collapsed to the ground without any contact with another player in the 70th minute of a game for his against Viitorul.
Ekeng fell to the ground exactly seven minutes after coming on as a substitute in the league game against Viitorul Constanta.


The 26-year-old Cameroon international was rushed to the hospital but staff were unable to resuscitate him after battling for an hour and half without success," Dinamo team doctor Liviu Batineanu told journalists.

Fans of the Bucharest club gathered outside the hospital late into the night to express their grief at the player's death.
Club executive director, Ionel Danciulescu who recalled another club player, Catalin Haldan who died playing a friendly in October 2000 expressed shock after Patrick's death .
"I can't believe it. It's a nightmare. For me, for the team and for all Dinamo supporters. It's too much," said Danciulescu. "It's as if we are cursed."

Before arriving in Romania, Ekeng played for several European clubs, spending four seasons with French Ligue 2 side Le Mans from 2009 to 2013.

The player from Yaounde then transferred to Lausanne in Switzerland from 2013-2014 and Spanish side Córdoba from 2014-2015 before joing Dinamo.

"We will love you forever, Patrick Ekeng!" the Bucharest club wrote on Facebook, adding the player had "gone to a better world wearing the white-red shirt to join Catalin Haldan and other players who have written the history" of the club.

Moment Ekeng fell to the ground during the match

May his soul rest in peace, Amen!