HEARTBREAKING! Goalkeeper Dies In Team Hotel Hours Before Next Match (Photo)

Curacao goalkeeper Jarzinho Pieter has died the day before his team were due to play Haiti, governing body Concacaf has said.

Pieter, 31, died at the team hotel in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Monday.

The players have decided to go ahead with the Concacaf Nations League match “in homage” to Pieter, who had played 12 times for the Caribbean island.

A minute’s silence will be held before Tuesday’s match (23:00 BST) and before all other matches in the competition.

Pieter was the back-up keeper to international team-mate Eloy Room and played for Curacao side Centro Dominguito.

The Curacao squad includes Leandro Bacuna of Cardiff and his younger brother Juninho of Huddersfield, as well as Oldham pair Zeus de la Paz and Gevaro Nepomuceno.

Leandro Bacuna paid tribute to his friend and team-mate on Instagram describing him as having a “beautiful heart” and “my brother from another mother”.

“The Football Federation of Curacao informed the Confederation that, after consulting with the players, they decided to play tomorrow’s game against Haiti in homage to their team-mate,” Concacaf said in statement.

“A minute of silence took place today in the matches of the League of Nations Concacaf and will take place before the kick-off tomorrow, as a tribute to the Confederation and in memory of Jarzinho for his contributions to football.”

The post HEARTBREAKING! Goalkeeper Dies In Team Hotel Hours Before Next Match (Photo) appeared first on Naijaloaded | Nigeria’s Most Visited Music & Entertainment Website.