Sudanese football fans were in mourning on Sunday after the Nigerian star of one of the nation's top clubs died after collapsing on the pitch in mid-game in front of thousands of home spectators.
Endurance Idahor, striker for Al-Merreikh Omdurman, had penetrated the opposing penalty area in the 13th minute when he appeared to be hit by an elbow before colliding with one of his teammates, staate television footage showed Fans were aghast as the 25-year-old collapsed motionless to the ground before being stretchered off. "Some people say he might have (had) a heart attack, but I don't believe this," team-mate Stephen Worgu told AFP. "He was in good shape, he never felt down before, he never complained of anything, he was perfectly okay," he added."
The referee immediately halted Saturday's home game in Omdurman, twin city of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, with rivals Amal from the northern city of Atbara. Doctors were still trying to establish the cause of the striker's death which made the front pages of all the Khartoum newspapers on Sunday.
"I watched the footage on video," said Worgu, who was on the bench at the time his team-mate collapsed. "He made contact with one player, then hit another," said Worgu. "Everybody is shocked," he added, "it is very difficult."
Idahor and Worgu were considered the stars of Al-Merreikh which, together with Al-Hilal, are the two largest clubs of the Sudanese championship. "We did everything together, we ate together, we sat together, we went out together, we trained together," Worgu said with emotion in his voice.
Young African players often play in the Sudanese championship in hopes of one day going to teams in Europe or the Gulf. Fans were invited to return to the Al-Merreikh stadium Monday to pay their last honours to Idahor, whose body will be repatriated to his native Nigeria, his club said.