COTONOU, Benin (AP) - A teenage goalkeeper for Benin's national youth soccer team was killed by unknown attackers after a loss to Nigeria in a weekend match, officials said Tuesday.
Samiou Yessoufou, 18, died Monday from injuries suffered when he was attacked a day earlier near his hotel in Benin's largest city, Cotonou, said Issa Hayatou, chief of the African Football Confederation.
Newspaper reports said Yessoufou was stabbed by angry fans after Nigeria defeated Benin 3-0 during a match of the African Youth Football Championship on Saturday.
Hayatou and other officials said they couldn't confirm whether the assailants were fans. Police said they were investigating the killing, but had no other details.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter expressed his condolences.
''It was with utter horror and sadness that I learned of the death ... in circumstances which, if the latest reports are true, beggar belief,'' Blatter said in a statement. ''The death of your young player is a tragedy which horrifies the entire football world.''
Benin is located in western Africa, between Togo and Nigeria.