Cameroon coach faints during match against Morocco

Cameroon’s defender Nicolas Nkoulou is congratulated by team mates after scoring a goal during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final football match between Egypt and Cameroon at the Stade de l’Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on February 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / ISSOUF SANOGO

Cameroon football head coach Richard Towa was taken to a Baku hospital after fainting on Thursday during the match against Morocco in the Islamic Solidarity Games, said team doctor Tamo Moktamo.

The Indomitable Lions coach was seen celebrating Frantz Pangop Tchidjui’s 31st-minute goal before fainting and “being taken into the stadium’s infirmary where he had to be reanimated and was then taken to the hospital in Baku”, explained Dr Moktamo.

“He was admitted around 6:00 PM local time and was treated at the cardiology department. He’s stabilised now and is doing fairly well,” he added.

The fainting was “most likely” due to a “hypertensive crisis” which caused an violent headache as well as brain disruptions.

“It’s difficult to say, at this moment, what happened exactly but the coach had an MRI scan, an electrocardiogram, an X-ray of his heart after he got worse in the stadium’s infirmary, he had to be reanimated for quite a while,” said Dr Moktamo.

Cameroon drew 1-1 against Morocco, conceding a 95th-minute equaliser.

With two points from two games in the Islamic Solidarity Games, the Lions have to beat Saudi Arabia in their final group match to have a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals from Group A.

AFP