Ivory Coast goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare learned of the death of his father on Monday, only a few hours after making headlines for a disastrous gaffe in his team’s Africa Cup of Nations game against Sierra Leone.
“It is with great sadness that the Ivorian national team learned of the death in the night of January 16-17 of the father of goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare,” said the Ivorian Football Federation in a statement.
The news comes after team-mate Max-Alain Gradel lost his father on the eve of the tournament.
Gradel appeared to be in tears after scoring in the Ivory Coast’s opening 1-0 win against Equatorial Guinea.
Sangare has taken over the gloves for the Elephants at this tournament because first-choice goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo is serving a doping ban.
The Ivorians were leading 2-1 in the third minute of injury time in Sunday’s game against Sierra Leone when Sangare went to catch a ball headed back to him by a teammate in an attempt to prevent a corner.
He then dropped the ball, allowing Sierra Leone’s Alhaji Kamara to equalise.
Sangare then went off injured, leaving right-back Serge Aurier to see out the match between the posts.
