Paraguay international striker Salvador Cabanas was shot and critically injured in a Mexico City bar on Monday, with doctors unable to remove a bullet lodged in his head.
The 29-year-old, one of Latin America’s most prolific goal scorers and expected to help spearhead Paraguay’s attack at this year’s World Cup, was possibly involved in a fight before the predawn shooting, Mexico City’s top prosecutor said.
“The bullet entered the front of his head and did not exit,” Miguel Angel Mancera told Mexican television.
Doctors who operated on Cabanas said he was in a stable but critical condition.
“The bullet was not removed. We would do more harm trying to take it out and it won’t do any harm where it ended up,” Dr Ernesto Martinez told reporters.
Asuncion-born Cabanas plays for Mexican club side America and was his country’s top scorer in the South American World Cup qualifying section with six goals.
At the finals being held in South Africa, Paraguay will meet Italy, Slovakia and New Zealand in Group F.
The shooting occurred around 5am in the bathroom of a bar in an upscale neighborhood of Mexico City.
“He went into the bathroom and his wife went to the women’s bathroom. She heard a noise two or three minutes later and went out. Salvador was already on the floor,” Michel Bauer, the president of America, told Mexican television.
Police were looking for a man who regularly frequented the bar along with his bodyguard, both of them caught on a surveillance camera, Mancera later told reporters.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon condemned the shooting and offered Mexico City authorities federal help investigating the crime.
Cabanas was also the top scorer in the South American Libertadores Cup in 2007 with 10 goals and again the following year with eight, both while playing for America.
He has regularly been among the top scorers in the Mexican championship since moving to the country in 2003, initially with Chiapas until 2006 and then with America, which is Mexico’s richest and most powerful club.
He was in Paraguay’s squad at the 2006 World Cup but did not get a game.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
After nearly six years away from the NBA, New Taipei Kings player Jeremy Lin (林書豪) is set to participate in the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars mini-tournament as the coach of Team G League. The NBA announced Monday (U.S. time) that the Taiwanese-American player will join a trio of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers – Tim Hardaway Sr., Chris Mullin, and Mitch Richmond – as honorary coaches for four teams featuring 28 rising talents. "See you soon in the Bay," Lin wrote in an Instagram story sharing the news. As the All-Star Weekend will take place at
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was