Paraguay (National Football)

Paraguay's World Cup plans took a severe knock after the South American side were easily beaten 2-1 by Ireland in Dublin.

Giovani Trappatoni's side tore into the World Cup Group F team right from the start, pressurising them as high up the pitch as possible. This simple tactic created havoc in the Paraguayan defence as their players panicked at every opportunity.

Ireland's early work paid off as Arsenal target Kevin Doyle nodded home in the seventh minute, after Roque Santa Cruz failed to clear Damien Duff's free-kick.

The Manchester City striker's inadvertent clearance cannoned off his own crossbar to leave Doyle with the easiest of chances. The early, easily conceded goal shook Gerado Martino's team's confidence, and the Argentinian was often a frantic figure in the technical area as he barked out orders.

Defense is one of the Albirroja's strongest points—only Brazil conceded fewer goals in the South America qualification campaign. However, Trappatoni had obviously picked it out as a weak point with Kevin Doyle and Robbie Keane harrying their defenders every chance they were given.

The fact that Paraguay's entire game plan is now based on defense rather than attack, caused them many problems tonight, and Kieran Westwood in the Irish goal saw very little action in the first half.

Martino's side obviously miss the influential Salvador Cabanas, who is still recovering from a gun shot to the head in January. Without the most impressive player in South American qualifying, they look blunt in attack.

La Arribarroja enjoyed plenty of possession in midfield with typical neat, intricate passing of a South American side, but they lacked a cutting edge up front. At times, it was all too easy for the Irish defense to snuff out their infrequent attacking forays.

Liam Lawrence added a second score with a fine shot to the far post from an acute angle. He was set up by some good work from Doyle, whose cushioned header sent the Stoke man free.

At 2-0 up, the game was as good as over, and Paraguay had yet to have a shot on target.

Martino had stern words for his team at halftime— and their performance improved in the second half— but Ireland were always in control.

Ireland went close on numerous occasions through Robbie Keane, Duff, and Lawrence again, and should really have had a penalty when Santa Cruz took Lawrence down in the box with a clumsy challenge. But alas, the referee waved play on.

Eventually, Paraguay found a way into the game when Barrios did his World Cup chances of selection no harm by firing home past Westwood, after beating Whelan and St. Ledger in the space of a few yards.

It proved to be no more than a consolation goal for the South Americans as the game fizzled out, following numerous substitutions by both sides.

Results are not of the greatest importance when heading into a World Cup, but the manner of the performance certainly is. Paraguay struggled against the western European-style employed by Ireland and found the going very difficult.

La Arribarroja have deep problems down both flanks as both Duff and Lawrence enjoyed huge space to attack into, and were rarely marked by Vera or Riveros.

They have a midfield that is good on the ball, but who comes across as being lightweight.

Their problems are being compounded by the seniority of Roque Santa Cruz, who frequently drops deep to take the ball off his teammates. The end result being the centre forward starting the attack in central midfield, leaving two wide players up front.

Although the game was only a friendly, and one would figure that Paraguay have their minds elsewhere, there was enough on show to suggest that they may struggle in the physically imposing Group F where Italy, New Zealand, and Slovakia lie in wait.

Italy will have no fears on this showing, while New Zealand will be very optimistic that their long ball game being enough to exploit Paraguay's defense. Slovakia will be another tough nut to crack in this group that offers the widest variety of opposing styles.

Gerado Martino will have learned very little from this friendly.

Ireland not only beat his team easily, but they also do not represent any of the styles that Paraguay are likely to encounter in their group games—unless you count the Italian influence of Giovani Trappatoni.

Back to the drawing board.

The 30 man Paraguayan squad has been named by coach Gerardo Martino. However, only 23 of them will make it to South Africa. Salvador Cabanas will have to root from the sidelines having literally taken one for the team. Cabanas was lucky to survive a gunshot to the head, and Paraguay will consider themselves somewhat lucky to escape Group F (Italy, New Zealand, and Slovakia).

Paraguay are ranked 30th in the world according to FIFA. According to me they are potentially a top 10 team. Having beaten both Brazil and Argentina on their road to qualifying for this year's World Cup (not to mention keeping clean sheets each time) they are definitely a force to be reckoned with.

While Paraguay may not have the luxury of calling up "legendary" players like Brazil (Ronaldo, Adriano, Ronaldinho, etc.) they are looking to create stars of their own. Oscar Cardozo has already made a name for himself by scoring 21 goals in 26 games for Benefica this year. He can score from almost anywhere also. Roque Santa Cruz isn't too shabby himself having notched a hat trick against Colombia, and scored three goals in World Cup qualifiers.

With a quick passing, fast paced midfield and an indomitable defense Paraguay will look to control the tempo of their matches. They'll enter the tournament a very confident side and will be tough to break down. Paraguay already beat two of the world's top teams and over six million fans at home are hoping they can do even better. 

Preliminary squad

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Valladolid/ESP), Aldo Bobadilla (Deportivo Independiente de Medellin/COL), Diego Barreto (Cerro Porteno)

Defenders: Claudio Morel Rodriguez (Boca Juniors/ARG), Denis Caniza (Leon/MEX), Paulo da Silva (Sunderland/ENG), Dario Veron (Pumas UNAM/MEX), Julio Cesar Caceres (Atletico Mineiro/BRA), Julio Manzur (Tigres/ARG), Carlos Bonet (Olimpia), Aureliano Torres (San Lorenzo de Almagro/ARG), Marcos Caceres (Racing/ARG), Antolin Alcaraz (FC Bruges/BEL)

Midfielders: Edgar Barreto (Atalanta/ITA), Cristian Riveros (Cruz Azul/MEX), Osvaldo Martinez (Monterrey/MEX), Victor Caceres (Libertad), Enrique Vera (Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito/ECU), Jonathan Santana (Wolfsburg/GER), Sergio Aquino (Libertad), Eduardo Ledesma (Lanus/ARG), Nestor Ortigoza (Argentinos Juniors/ARG), Marcelo Estigarribia (Newell's Old Boys/ARG)

Forwards: Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City/ENG), Nelson Haedo Valdez (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Oscar Cardozo (Benfica/POR), Edgar Benitez (Toluca/MEX), Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Rodolfo Gamarra (Libertad), Jorge Achucarro (Newell's Old Boys/ARG)

Thirty-two years after he was laid to rest in Buenos Aires, Arsenio Erico finally returned home to Paraguay. Thousands of fans showed up to pay tribute to the "greatest striker in Argentinian league history" as they celebrated his repatriation.

Born in Ascuncion, Paraguay, in 1915, Erico made his name playing for Independiente in Argentina. He was spotted by Los Diablos Rojos after he traveled to Argentina with a Paraguayan Red Cross representative team in an effort to raise money for the country in the Chaco War.

Amazingly enough, Bolivia and Paraguay are the only landlocked countries in the western hemisphere, and as a result any resource in the area is invaluable.

In 1932, the Chaco War broke out between Paraguay and Bolivia over a stretch of land called the Gran Chaco region. It was believed at the time that the area was oil rich, and as such, was worth fighting over. The war was the bloodiest conflict in South America over the last 100 years and claimed the lives of over 100,000 soldiers.

Over the course of a number of fund-raising friendlies, a young striker began to emerge as a player of some skill. Even then it was apparent that young Erico was something special, and Independiente moved in as quickly as possible to offer the youth a contract.

A powerfully built striker with a touch like velvet, Erico's career with Independiente lasted for over 13 years. During that time, he played 332 games and scored an unbelievable 293 goals, earning himself the nickname the "Red Jumper" because of his uncanny ability to hang in the air while waiting for a header—a skill that all truly world-class players possess. Think Pele in 1970, or more recently, Lionel Messi in the 2009 Champions League final.

Such was Erico's importance to the game in Argentina that on the verge of the World Cup in 1938, the AFA offered him the deal of a lifetime: Declare for Argentina and lead the team through the tournament in France.

Having never played an official game for Paraguay, Erico was open to offers from his home country. But he did manage to play in friendlies for La Arribaroja, scoring 26 goals in just 56 games in one incredible season between 1933 and 1934. These were the very same friendlies where Independiente first saw his talent.

His refusal to turn his back on his native Paraguay could explain why Argentina declined to travel to Europe for the tournament. His reluctance to don the famous stripes of Argentina made no difference to either the fans of Independiente or to his own form, as he went on to notch three 40-plus goal seasons between 1937 and 1939.

It is the 1938 season, however, that has gone down in folklore history in Argentina—for a couple of reasons.

Players were not very well paid back then. So when a very well-known Argentinian cigarette company offered a king's ransom to any player who could score 43 goals in one season, in an advertising campaign to launch its Cigarillos 43 brand, both the public's and players' imaginations were caught.

Being one of the best strikers in the world at the time, Erico managed to reach the magical 43-goal target with two games to go. But it was only then that he was told that he had to finish the season with 43 goals to claim the prize.

With the title already in the bag for Independiente, Erico managed to miss some very simple chances over the next two games before he went on to earn his prize. Some years later, he admitted openly to missing on purpose to win the extravagant prize money.

It makes his goal-scoring record all the more incredible, because he could have beaten his own tally easily. Currently, the title of the top scorer in Argentinian football history is shared between Erico and Angel Labruna, although it is worth noting that the "Red Jumper" achieved his 293 tally in 183 games—fewer than Labruna.

It was during this part of his career in Argentina that Erico went on to not only inspire the love of two countries, but of players too. Luminaries such as the great Alfredo Di-Stefano, Leonaidas Da Silva, and Benitez Caceres all cite him as not only being one of the greats of modern football, but also as the player who inspired them the most.

After his retirement in 1948, Arsenio Erico returned briefly to Paraguay to take up a coaching position with Nacional. His managerial career never matched his playing one though. The peak of his time on the sidelines was in guiding Club Sol De America to second place in the league in 1957.

Erico retired from football sometime later and then spent his life traveling between the two loves of his life, Argentina and Paraguay.

He was possibly the only person capable of avoiding the many political tensions between his two homes, which says much of his stature and the high regard both countries had for him.

When he passed away in 1977, he was buried in Buenos Aires, much to the dismay of his countrymen.

After years of seeking to return him to the land of his birth, Paraguay brought him back on Feb. 25, 2010.

His coffin was draped in the flags of his two homes as he was carried on top of a Bolivian fire engine on the way home to Asuncion.

To accompany him home, a two-mile caravan of well wishers followed the coffin solemnly, while thousands of Paraguayans and Argentinians lined the streets to show respect to one of the greatest players their countries have ever produced.

His remains were laid to rest in the mausoleum at the national Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion.

Arsenio Erico is the only Paraguayan listed in FIFA's "Top 50 Players of All Time," an accolade well deserved. And now that he is home, his legend can be told to a new generation of players in Paraguay—and Argentina.

Salvador Cabañas, a first-choice striker for the Paraguay national team and the most prominent star for top Mexican side Club América, was shot in the head early Monday morning in a Mexico City bar.

News of his shooting travelled quickly along the world's most prominent outlets, both sport and mainstream, reporting the shocking incident.

Cabañas, his wife, and his brother-in-law had been enjoying a night out at Bar-Bar nightclub, an establishment well-known for attracting the likes of famous individuals including singer Bon Jovi, magician David Copperfield as well as an endless array of footballers and actors.

At around 5:30 A.M., Cabañas ventured into the men's bathroom.

Seconds later, he was on the ground, having received a gun blast to his forehead.

Upon being transported to the hospital, the footballer was operated on for a good part of Monday, before finally being declared as critical but stable.

That condition, two days later, has not wavered much, yet it goes without saying that his life is still not without peril of ending due to the attack.

The motive for the shooting is still a matter of speculation, although witnesses and security camera footage point to the aggressor perhaps reacting to a woman in his company sitting at Cabañas' table and talking to his brother-in-law.

The shooter, as well as an accomplice, have been identified and remain at large.

An outpouring of support from Mexican league clubs and fans have also been present, with a large group of people rallying outside the hospital where he's being cared for, and gatherings at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca and Paraguay's Defensores del Chaco held in support of the player.

While pointed questions at Club América's lax regulations and curfews for players may be irrelevant (it was after all, on a day off for the footballers), reports have now moved on to the shooting's implications on the pitch, all while Cabañas still fights for his life.

A similar situation was noted after USA national team player Charlie Davies was involved in a car accident that left a woman dead .

Analysis quickly shifted from the specifics of the accident, the seriousness of the incident, and the damage done to the people involved themselves, more so to how it would affect the USA in South Africa.

Who cares?

Months later, with Davies' rehab ahead of schedule and him pointing to rejoin his team and nation in competition, the woman's death seems like collateral damage, a footnote to this now-inspiring story of recovery.

Same goes for Salvador Cabañas.

Yes, Paraguay and Club América will be affected by his extended, dare I say permanent absence from the pitch—but it quite simply does not matter.

Not when a man's life is still on the line.

Not when a wife might become a widow and a family can lose one of its members.

Football is a big business. It is a worldwide passion, it is important enough to watch, follow, study, and write about.

And yet, it is just a game.

Salvador Cabañas' battle in a Mexico City hospital is not.

That should be the true focus.

Paraguay international Salvador Cabanas is in critical condition after doctors failed to remove a bullet that was lodged inside of his head after he was shot in a Mexico City bar earlier today.

Cabanas was rushed to Los Angeles Pedregal Hospital after the shooting where he underwent emergency surgery under the care of Dr. Ernesto Martinez.

Dr. Martinez held a press conference moments ago to update the public on the Club America striker’s current condition.

"Cabanas arrived in a critical condition with a severe trauma to the cranium. We managed to put him under control but there was also a skin lesion, a clot inside his head," said Martinez.

"We operated on his cranium and stopped the bleeding and the clotting and the brain is in a stable condition.”

Dr. Martinez went on to state that although he was successful in his attempt to stop the clotting, Cabanas’ condition was still grave and that he had a long fight ahead of him.

"The problem of the blood clot has been solved but the gravity of the situation is not over. He is sedated and needs several days before we can withdraw the anaesthesia.

We can not talk about predictions or consequences. We can only hope that his situation remains favourable. Injuries of this type are unclear.

We do not know what kind of consequences the patient may have. That will depend on his progress," he said. Dr. Martinez then stated that the surgery had lasted about seven hours and confirmed that a bullet was still lodged in Cabanas' brain.

"The bullet is not removed. It is in the back of the brain, we would do more damage if we tried to extract it," he said. We cannot assure you that he is out of danger. If he had not been attended to immediately, he would not have survived. He is young and healthy, that helps.

"He arrived at 6 am, we prepared everything and operated on him. The operation began at half past 7 and we finished about 40 minutes ago, meaning the surgery lasted about seven hours."

Dr. Martinez concluded the press conference by stating that he might have to perform a second operation on Cabanas.

"We might have to operate again because we do not know if it will start bleeding. The bullet has not been removed, but his life is of our utmost concern."

"Now, we can only wait. We do not know if he can return to a normal life," he concluded.

This is terrible news for not just Paraguay but the footballing world as a whole.

Cabanas will not be playing in the 2010 World Cup.

Source: Goal.com

Paraguay continues to take the old approach of one match at a time, and the persistence has paid off as the nation sits in first with 20 points in the South American qualification table for World Cup 2010.

Paced by such players Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn), Claudio Morel (Boca Juniors), and Jonathan Santana (VfL Wolfsburg), Paraguay rests a full four points ahead of continent heavyweights Brazil and Argentina. 

And with Wednesday’s home match against cellar-dweller Peru, Paraguay looks certain to end the 10th qualification round with 23 points overall.

Other Round 10 matches:

Bolivia hosts Uruguay in La Paz. Joaquín Botero paces Bolivia with five goals in qualification. Uruguay sits fifth in the table and must fight the altitude for a crucial three points.

Chile hosts Argentina in Santiago. Humberto Suazo has four goals for Chile. Juan Román Riquelme leads the Argentine attack with four goals.

Brazil hosts Colombia in Rio de Janeiro. Luís Fabiano and Kaká each have four goals for Brazil. Colombia sits seventh in the table and must come away from the match with a draw.

Venezuela hosts Ecuador in Puerto la Cruz. Giancarlo Maldonado (Venezuela) and Edison Méndez (Ecuador) both have three goals.