23-Year-Old Goalkeeper Dies After Colliding With Rival Team’s Player

The training match between two soccer teams in Russia took a disastrous turn. 23-year-old Alexander Shishmarev died after colliding with another player during the match. The goalkeeper reportedly was fatally struck in the neck. The soccer fraternity of the nation mourns the loss of the young player.

On Sunday, Aug. 29 Shishmarev was playing as a part of the fourth-tier team Krasnaya Zvezda. They were playing against the youth side of the second-tier Baltika-M team. The training match was taking place at a stadium in the northwest of Kaliningrad, Russia.

During the match the goalkeeper ended up colliding with one of the players from Baltika-M, The Daily Star reported. The goalkeeper went out to stop the ball that the opponent was driving towards the goal. At high speed, the attacking player collided with the goalie. As a result of the collision, Shishmarev collapsed on the field. The medical team present at the match provided urgent medical attention.

An ambulance arrived at the stadium within 15-25 minutes of the incident, The Mirror reported. Paramedics continued the effort to resuscitate Shishmarev. The efforts to save his life continued for more than an hour on the field as well as in the ambulance. However, before he could be taken to a hospital, he was pronounced dead.

Speaking about the incident Alexander Garvidis, head of Kaliningrad's football federation, revealed that Shishmarev did not die of a head injury. It is believed that the collision resulted in a strike to the neck causing the injury. Preliminary reports suggest that the goalkeeper’s tongue had fallen backward leading him to choke. The cause of the young Emergencies Ministry employee’s death is yet to be officially determined.

The resident of Sovetsk has been mourned by friends, family and the soccer federation. Baltika’s head of press Sergey Kandalov shared that the team was in a state of shock. The Russian national team acknowledged the incident. They tweeted that the goalkeeper had a fatal collision with the opposing attacker. The team extended their condolences to the victim’s family and friends. His sister reported that Shishmarev had been in a relationship with his partner for four years.

The Russian Football League has announced that they will be supporting Shishmarev’s family financially.