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Ex-Necaxa forward Ezequiel Orozco dies after battle with lung cancer

Former Necaxa striker Ezequiel Orozco has died after a battle with lung cancer, Liga Bancomer confirmed on Friday.

"The Mexican footballing family will remember him as a warrior on and off the field and especially for being the great person he was," the league said in a statement.

Orozco, 29, came up through the Necaxa youth system and made his professional debut with the club in 2009.

He had spells with Jaguares, Atlante and Altamira before joining Murcielagos as a free agent in January of 2016.

He appeared in his final game for the club on Nov. 11, 2016, just days after being diagnosed with cancer -- coming on for one minute as a tribute.

Following the diagnosis, Mexican football came together as a number of charity matches and giveaways were organised to raise money for Orozco's treatments.

In all, Orozco played 134 matches in his professional career, scoring 18 goals.