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Choirul Huda dead: Indonesia goalkeeper and Persela Lamongan icon dies in collision with teammate, aged 38

Choirul Huda dead: Indonesia goalkeeper and Persela Lamongan icon dies in collision with teammate, aged 38

Indonesian goalkeeper Choirul Huda has died after colliding with his teammate during a match between Lamongan Football Club and Semen Padang, aged 38.

Huda, an Indonesian football legend who had played more than 500 matches for Lamongan – commonly known as Persela – rushed off his goal line in the 43rd minute of Sunday’s game at Surajaya Stadium and collided with defender Ramon Rodrigues.

Video footage showed the sickening incident that left the club captain Huda collapsed on the turf, and he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after losing consciousness before medical staff at the stadium in East Java attempted to resuscitate him, according to Doctor Yudistiro Andri Nugroho, head of the emergency Care Unit at the Soegiri Hospital, Lamongan.

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Huda was transported to the hospital’s intensive care unit where he was given breathing assistance and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with Dr Nugroho confirming that Huda suffered “impacts on the chest and lower jaw.

The footballer was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the Soegiri Hospital, and Dr Hugroho added that “initial analysis” suggested a “possibility of head trauma and neck trauma”, resulting in him “stopping breathing and a cardiac arrest”.

His fellow players had gone to straight to the hospital after the final whistle following their 2-0 win over Semen Padang and supporters later went to his house with candles, according to local media reports.

On their official Twitter page, Persela carried “farewell cap” above a photo of Huda. According to the team's Instagram page, the club will retire the number one jersey worn by Huda.

The Instagram post read: “Thank you for your constant dedication. Thank you for the inspiration you gave to Persela, Lamongan and Indonesian football.”

Huda was capped three times for the Indoesnia national team from 2014, and leaves behind a wife and two children.

Additional reporting by Reuters.