The 69-year-old man was in a bar not far from the match itself at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte when he fell ill and was taken to hospital.
According to a spokesperson for the state health department, the man was taken to hospital but died two hours later. Officials said he had suffered fromhigh blood pressure and diabetes, the Estado de Minas newspaper reported.
Health officials said that in total they had to treat 98 people during the match, including a 50-year-old woman who also had a heart problem while watching the shootout and a man whose nose was broken in a fight.
Brazil went on to win the game 3-2 on penalties, with the score 1-1 after extra time, and progress to face Colombia in the quarter-finals.
Yet despite the high standard of football on show and the furore around Luis Suarez’s on-field antics, the tournament has seemingly been just as eventful away from the pitch.
In Bogota, Colombia, last night a woman was reportedly killed by a stray bullet fired in celebration for the country’s win against Uruguay.
The mayor of Bogota was forced to issue a statement calling on people to be more careful when celebrating, after a number spilled out into the streets and fired guns into the air.
And it has also emerged that an England fan had a part of his ear “bitten off” during his team’s own match against Uruguay in the group stages.
The fan has made a formal complaint but the attacker, who is thought to be another England fan, has not been identified.
- nairobiwire.com
