Roma goalkeeper Stekelenburg kicked in the head

Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

MILAN (AP)—Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg reportedly avoided major injuries after getting kicked in the head during a match Saturday with Inter Milan.

In the 15th minute of the game at the San Siro, Stekelenburg charged forward to punch away a ball that Inter defender Lucio was chasing. Lucio then failed to jump over the keeper and hit the right side of Stekelenburg’s head with his foot, earning a yellow card for the Brazil defender.

Stekelenburg sat up after the incident but then immediately appeared to lose consciousness, and his head dropped back to the ground. After a stablizing collar was applied, he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher and regained his senses in the changing room before being taken to the San Carlo hospital, according to the ANSA news agency.

Italy’s Sky TV reported that medical tests revealed no major injuries.

Bogdan Lobont replaced Stekelenburg in goal and kept a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw.

Stekelenburg joined Roma in August in a ?6.3-million ($9 million) transfer from Ajax. He is the starting goalkeeper for the Netherlands, having helped his national team to last year’s World Cup final.