Paraguay dedicating World Cup to Salvador Cabanas, home recovering from gunshot wound

Paraguay dedicating World Cup to Cabanas

PRETORIA, South Africa — Paraguay’s players are dedicating their success at the World Cup to Salvador Cabanas, the team’s striker who is back home recovering from a gunshot wound to the head.

“What we are achieving is for him,” said forward Cristian Riveros after a penalty kicks shootout victory over Japan pushed Paraguay into its first World Cup quarterfinal. “We called him from our room last week, and we’ll continue to do so.”

Cabanas was attacked on Jan. 25 in Mexico, and a member of a suspected drug cartel has been arrested as an accomplice.

The shooting took place at a Mexico City bar over an argument about soccer. The trouble started when the alleged shooter questioned Cabanas’ scoring ability and the player responded angrily.

“He’s always with us in spirit,” Riveros said. “We have good news in that he’s in his second recuperation stage and he’s doing well.”

Cabanas was Paraguay’s top scorer in the World Cup qualifiers.