Ukrainian First League Player Collapses During Match

Today, August 12, marks the sixth round of the Ukrainian First League. A worrying event took place during the match between Podillya Khmelnytskyi and Probiy Horodenka.

Details: Shortly after the teams came out for kickoff, Ivan Pitsan, the goalkeeper for the visiting team, suddenly became unwell. He collapsed on the field during the Ukrainian national anthem and was unable to leave the pitch unaided. Medical personnel had to assist him off the field and into an ambulance.

The reason behind the goalkeeper’s sudden illness is unclear. Such situations often happen in extreme heat, but the temperature at kickoff in Khmelnytskyi was only 13°C, with rainclouds above. As a result, Maksym Kovalenko replaced Pitsan in Probiy’s starting lineup.

For the record: At the time of writing, the match was at halftime. The visitors were leading 1-0, with Ivan Bilyi scoring in the 33rd minute. Podillya was at the bottom of the table in 16th place with just one point, while Probiy held 12th position with three more points.