The Dynamo Kiev captain, Oleg Gusev, had a narrow escape after swallowing his tongue before being saved by an opposition player.

Gusev had challenged for a cross with Denys Boyko and collapsed on the floor unconscious after a blow from the Dnipro goalkeeper's knee.

The Dnipro midfielder Jaba Kankava reacted instantly, sticking his hand down Gusev's throat to clear his airways. After a few minutes Gusev stood up before he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher. The only casualty appeared to be Kankava, who was seen ruefully shaking his hand after being accidently bitten during the incident.

"He sustained medium concussion, several bruises and a bruised jaw," the Dynamo team doctor Leonid Myronov said. "He is lucky to have such light injuries. His spine, skull and bones are all intact – no breaks or fractures.

The Dnipro goalkeeper Denys Boyko crashes into Gusev. Photograph: YouTube

"He lost consciousness for a short period, had seizures and swallowed his tongue but our colleagues from Dnipro had provided him emergency professional assistance and everything was settled."

Dnipro won the match 2-0, leapfrogging Dynamo into second place in the Ukrainian Premier League.