Tragedy struck at hub of grassroots football, Olubadan Stadium Ibadan yesterday when a player slumped and all efforts to revive him failed as he died on the spot.

Onyebuchi Onyekwere, 26 who is still learning a trade at Aleshinloye was participating for the first time in Traders Cup, soccer tourney organized among the popular markets in Ibadan.

He was confirmed to be hale and hearty before the match that involved Aleshinloye FC and Feleye Market FC according to one of his teammate who craved for anonymity.

''We have trained together twice this week before this match, and Onyebuchi never showed any sign of ailing, he just slumped without any contact from any player and died before we could reach Oke-Ado hospital here, everything was quite shocking,'' the teammate said.

While reacting on the incident, the Chairman of Ibadan Football Association (IFA), the custodian of the stadium, Alhaji Banji Akintayo said such disaster has never happened at the ever busy soccer venue, as they always take all precautionary measures to prevent causalities.

Photo caption: Lifeless body of Onyebuchi Onyekwere at Oke-Ado Hospital Ibadan where he was confirmed dead before he got there.