When Savadogo Abima, 17, stepped onto the football pitch to play for his club, Shadrach FC in Mafere south of the Ivorian commercial capital Abidjan , little did he realise that he was unto his last match. Playing against Bonoua Sport in the Regional Division as a defender for his team, he definitely would have had hopes ensuring that come-what-may he would not let any player go past him if he could help it.
And that was exactly his role when he bumped against into his own keeper while both men were trying to deflect a dangerous air ball. On collision, he fell back to the field floor on his back and was unconscious. The referee called for help and he was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead a few minutes later.
And at the FIFA Confederations Cup, a minute silence was observed and applause followed just before the match between Brazil and Uruguay got under way. The whole stadium was party to this gesture in honour and remembrance of Marc Vivien-Foe, the Cameroonian player who died on the field of play when he represented his country at the same competition years back. Cameroon, then, had the African Cup in her clutches. Vivien-Foe had played for Lens (France) and West Ham ((England) among other teams.
In the same vein, a Nigerian, Sam Oparaji died on the field of play in 1989 at the Nigerian National Stadium while playing for Nigeria at the World Cup qualifiers. He had been playing professional football in Germany and was regarded a stalwart of the Nigerian midfield and defence.
