2023-04-22 23:06:18
The world of New Caledonian futsal is in mourning this Sunday. The captain of the ASPTT Marcel Hnepeune died this Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Anewy room in the Vallée-du-tir. He was 29 years old.
The ASPTT family is in mourning this Sunday. The team lost its captain Marcel Hnepeune, this Saturday, April 22. He succumbed to cardiac arrest during the ASPTT match against FC Ferrand, at the Anewy hall in the Vallée-du-tir.
Holder at kick-off, he came out to be replaced after a few minutes of play. He then collapsed on his way back to his bench. He could not be revived. He was 29 years old.
A player known for his efficiency and his technique. Marcel Hnepeune had been captain of the ASPTT since 2017. He was then 24 years old. Last year, the captain and his team won the Caledonian Cup and the Super League championship, achieving a double.
Beyond the local successes within his club, the man from Lifou has also stood out in the Caledonian selection in the region and internationally. In October 2019, he participated in the Oceania Nations Cup in Païta, a qualifying phase for the 2020 World Cup.
Just a week ago, on April 16, he received the player of the match award after his performance against the Fijian players at the Melanesian Cup in Fiji, alongside the Cagou team. The Caledonian selection then finished 3rd in the meeting.
In the aftermath of his death, tributes rain down. “It’s a very difficult time“, launches Vincent Vasapolli, coach of FC Ferrand. “We were about to experience one of the most beautiful matches of the year, with some of the leading teams in the championship. Everything came together for a big futsal party and then we had this terrible moment. It was a bit of a symbol of New Caledonian futsal in recent years. The best player, the futsal mentality and our futsal model from here”, continues the coach.
“It’s a shock for me, he was a leader everywhere. Whenever there were small tournaments organized he was there. Every time there was training he was there. He is a passionate person, who takes futsal to the top. It really is a huge loss. Now it’s up to us to take his legacy and continue to lift the little young people up”, adds Nicolas N’Godrela, FC Ferrand player.
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