Kidnapped Player Escapes
Jorge Cervera, a midfielder for Banfield in the Argentine first division, was kidnapped Tuesday but escaped after a car chase and an exchange of gunfire between police and the kidnappers in Buenos Aires.
The kidnappers had initially planned on robbing Cervera, 27, and his party before recognizing him and holding him for ransom.
According to the Associated Press, Cervera, his brother-in-law and their female companions were driving on the outskirts of the city just after midnight when two cars stopped them.
After deciding to hold Cervera, the kidnappers released the women, telling them to ask the president of Banfield for “several thousand dollars” for Cervera’s release, and to demand $1,100 from Cervera’s family.
The women went to the police, who quickly caught up with the kidnappers. After a short chase, the kidnappers crashed their car. Cervera and his brother-in-law escaped during the ensuing gun battle.
Two of the kidnappers were taken into custody.
Argentina has had a rise in abductions and several athletes have been targeted there, among them Lanus Coach Daniel Cordoba, the brother of former Boca Juniors player Juan Roman Riquelme and the father of Racing Club’s Diego Milito.
Di Canio Easing Back
West Ham captain Paolo Di Canio is coming back from a knee injury and Coach Glenn Roeder said he would probably use the Italian as a substitute in today’s game against West Bromwich Albion.
“There is no problem trying to get Paolo up to speed in football terms,” Roeder said. “But what we have got to assess is his physical fitness that you get by playing.
“Paolo has trained well this week. It is what you expect from him. Although he has had little football in the last four months, his touch and awareness is still exactly the same as when he left us.”
The injured Di Canio, 34, has played a combined 65 minutes in the last four months.
“He is not someone who needs a couple of weeks’ intense football work to get his touch back,” Roeder said.
“He can be away from football for a number of months and the first time he steps back on the training pitch and receives the ball, he kills it instantly. You wouldn’t think he has been away.”
Tourney Revived
A year after the South Asian soccer tournament was postponed because of FIFA’s suspension of the Bangladesh soccer federation, the competition will be played in January in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka.
National teams from the seven South Asian nations--Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka--are expected to participate Jan. 10-20, 2003, in the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
FIFA conditionally suspended the Bangladesh federation last Jan. 11, after its president, S.A. Sultan, a ruling party lawmaker, fired the body’s elected executive committee and appointed his own.
FIFA lifted the suspension, which barred the country from participating in or playing host to any international soccer events, after the fired committee was reinstated and new elections were held in February.
Crew in Cup final
A golden goal in the 108th minute by Columbus midfielder John Wilmar Perez gave the Crew a 3-2 victory over the visiting Kansas City Wizards Tuesday night, setting up a U.S. Open Cup final between Columbus and the defending champion Galaxy at Crew Stadium Oct. 24.
Kansas City had built a 2-0 lead before the Crew, which is now 6-0-1 at home in Open Cup games since 1996, scored its first goal in the 76th minute on a score by forward Edson Buddle.
Perez then tied it in injury time, setting the stage for his game-winner in the second overtime.
The Galaxy has won eight straight Open Cup matches. It advanced to this year’s championship game with wins over the A-League’s Minnesota Thunder, the San Jose Earthquakes and the Dallas Burn.
The Crew made it with victories against the A-League’s Richmond Kickers, the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and the Wizards.
