Etienne Vaessen: RKC Waalwijk v Ajax abandoned after keeper knocked unconscious
A Dutch-top flight match between RKC Waalwijk and Ajax was abandoned after the home goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen was knocked unconscious.
The game was stopped in the 84th minute after the Dutchman, 28, collided with Ajax forward Brian Brobbey.
Players frantically called for help and were in tears as a motionless Vaessen was treated on the pitch, with a screen put up.
His club said he regained consciousness while he was taken off on a stretcher.
RKC said: "After extensive medical examination, he is conscious and has been transported to hospital for further examination.
"We are extremely shocked by the incident. We wish Etienne a lot of strength and strength and hope to have him with us again soon."
RKC director Frank van Mosselveld told Dutch broadcaster NOS: "Etienne was knocked out for a while.
"Our medical staff started reanimation straightaway but it looks like it wasn't a problem with his heart. He was conscious again when he left the field but he did not know where he was."
Ajax were leading Saturday's Eredivisie game 3-2 before it was eventually abandoned.
"This is about more than football," Ajax wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Praying you're okay, Etienne."
Line-ups
RKC Waalwijk
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Vaessen
2Lelieveld4Adewoye3Van den Buijs28Meijers
24Roemeratoe6Oukili
11Bakkali27Niemeijer7Cleonise
29Kramer
- 1Vaessen
- 2LelieveldSubstituted forGaariat 82'minutes
- 4Adewoye
- 3Van den Buijs
- 28MeijersBooked at 42mins
- 24RoemeratoeSubstituted forWeidmannat 83'minutes
- 6OukiliBooked at 87mins
- 11BakkaliSubstituted forMargaretat 59'minutes
- 27NiemeijerSubstituted forMinat 45'minutes
- 7CleoniseSubstituted forStevanovicat 70'minutes
- 29Kramer
Substitutes
- 5Lutonda
- 8Vroegh
- 9Min
- 10Stevanovic
- 13Spenkelink
- 14Lokesa
- 19Margaret
- 21Houwen
- 22Meir
- 23Gaari
- 25Bruma
- 30Weidmann
- 35Felida
Ajax
Formation 4-3-3
12Gorter
2Rensch37Sutalo30Ávila4Hato
23Berghuis24Vos8Taylor
11Forbs Borges9Brobbey7Bergwijn
- 12GorterSubstituted forRamajat 84'minutes
- 2Rensch
- 37Sutalo
- 30Ávila
- 4Hato
- 23Berghuis
- 24VosSubstituted forTahirovicat 84'minutes
- 8Taylor
- 11Forbs Borges
- 9Brobbey
- 7BergwijnSubstituted forvan Axel Dongenat 79'minutesSubstituted forHlynssonat 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Rulli
- 3Gaaei
- 10Akpom
- 13Kaplan
- 17Salah-Eddine
- 18Medic
- 19Mikautadze
- 21van den Boomen
- 22Pasveer
- 25Sosa
- 27van Axel Dongen
- 33Tahirovic
- 38Hlynsson
- 39Godts
- 40Ramaj
- 42Martha
- 49Banel
Referee:Pol van Boekel
Attendance:7,159
Match Stats
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