In the Norwegian second division, a Sogndal player collapsed due to a cardiac arrest on Monday. Emil Pálsson, who played with his team against Stjørdals-Blink, went to the ground after fifteen minutes of play, but could be successfully resuscitated by the quick action of the emergency services. The 28-year-old midfielder is said to have regained consciousness when he was transported to hospital. The match was called off after the incident.
Pálsson is an official player of Sarpsborg 08 FF, but will be loaned to Sogndal until the end of the season. With that team, he was visited by Stjørdals-Blink on Monday evening, when things went completely wrong after twelve minutes. “He was then airlifted to Haukeland Hospital for further examination and treatment,” Sogndal said in a statement. In the hospital it was confirmed that the midfielder had a heart condition.
????: Frayeur en plein match de foot and Norvège? L’Islandais Emil Palsson s’est effondré sur le terrain suite à un arrêt cardiaque, lors du match de entre Sogndal et Stjordals Blink, and D2 norvégienne. Réanimé avec succès il a été amené à l’hôpital pour des exams (Club Sogndal) pic.twitter.com/CpcMffwW9y
— Franceat (@Franceatpresso2) Nov 1, 2021
In front of shocked teammates and opponents, Pálsson was resuscitated on the field after the incident. Spectators were asked to leave the stadium not much later, when the game was finally stopped. It is not the first time that Sogndal has had to deal with such an incident. In 2011, the team took on Brann when opponent Carl Erik Torp suffered a cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the field.
Torp, currently a trainer at Brann, was one of the people who sent a message of support to Pálsson via social media on Monday. Several clubs also made themselves heard after the incident and wished the midfielder strength. Sergio Aguero was taken to hospital by ambulance during a Barcelona game last weekend. It later turned out that the Argentinian suffered from heart rhythm disorders, which means that he will not play for the Catalan club for at least the next three months.