Mchezaji mwingine afa uwanjani

Piermario Morosini (25) enzi ya uhai wake

An Italian footballer collapsed on the pitch and died from a heart attack in front of horrified teammates and supporters last night.

Former under 21 international Piermario Morosini, 25, who played for Livorno, was seen to tremble before falling to his knees and then to the ground midway through the first half.

Frantic players from both sides attracted the referee's attention as medics from Livorno rushed onto the pitch to give the player heart massage.

The Italian second division side were leading 2-0 against Pescara when the footballer fell to the ground.

The tragedy happened just four weeks after Bolton Wanderers footballer Patrice Muamba suffered a heart attack during an FA Cup quarter final against Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite his heart stopping for 78 minutes, the footballer is expected to be discharged from the London Chest Hospital within days after making a remarkable recovery.

Yesterday reports suggested paramedics were delayed getting an ambulance onto the pitch to treat Morosini because a police car was parked in the way at Pescara's Adriatica Stadium.

The footballer was later taken away to the town's Santo Spirito hospital after he was seen being put onto a stretcher with an oxygen mask on his face.

The team medic continued to give him heart massage as shocked players and supporters watched on.

It was claimed a police car had blocked the ambulance's entrance to the ground.

Fire chiefs confirmed they had to smash the window and release the handbrake to move it out of the way.

Medics said attempts had been made to revive the player with a defibrillator while fans looked on stunned from the terraces but all attempts were futile.

Television footage showed the footballer's team mates distraught as they were told by Livorno club official Manilo Porcellini that Morosini had died an hour after arriving at hospital.

The footballer, on loan from Serie A side Udinese, never regained consciousness.

Pescara goalkeeper Luca Anania told Italian TV: 'This is a tragedy, believe me, I don't know what to say.

'There was such a great deal of confusion and I heard there was also a slight delay in getting the ambulance onto the pitch as its path was blocked by another vehicle.

'Some of my team mates helped carry the stretcher from the ambulance onto the pitch.'

Livorno's president Aldo Spinelli said: 'We are all in pieces. This is a tough moment for all of us but we need to try and come out of it together.