Preki Goes to Sidelines for Months
Preki Radosavljevic, last season’s most valuable player in Major League Soccer at age 40, will be sidelined as many as four months after breaking his left leg and dislocating his ankle in an exhibition game over the weekend.
The Kansas City playmaker, and one of soccer’s ageless wonders, was injured trying to avoid a tackle by Ross Paule of the Columbus Crew in the Wizards’ 4-0 loss at Tampa, Fla.
Preki landed awkwardly on the leg and, after being treated for nearly 40 minutes on the field, was taken to a local hospital. Two screws were inserted in his ankle during surgery.
“Last year, offensively, this was his team,” Coach Bob Gansler said. “Now, we’re going to have to find another way to play attacking ball. Fortunately, we have a little time to take a look at it.”
Last season, Preki scored 12 goals, had 17 assists and was the league’s leading scorer. Preki, a U.S. citizen but a native of Serbia and Montenegro, is the all-time leading scorer in MLS with 264 points.
Preki’s most memorable moment for the U.S. national team came in February 1998 in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the Coliseum when he blasted a left-footed shot for a stunning 1-0 victory over Brazil.
Mexican League
Jaguares Chiapas and Chivas of Guadalajara posted victories over the weekend to remain the top two teams in the Mexican league with 15 points apiece after six games.
Jaguares defeated UNAM Pumas, 1-0, on a goal by Salvador Cabanas of Paraguay.
Despite the loss, Pumas still sit atop their group with 11 points.
Chivas kept pace with a 2-0 victory over Queretaro, getting goals from Mexican national team standouts Omar Bravo and Francisco Palencia.
The other group leader, Toluca, opened a six-point lead after a 3-2 victory over Tigres. Jose Saturnino Cardozo scored two goals and Vicente Sanchez scored one.
In Irapuato’s 2-1 victory over Club America, Virginia Tovar became the first woman to serve as referee of a first-division game in Mexico.
In coaching news, Morelia, the only winless team after six games, fired Ruben Omar Romano and replaced him with Antonio Mohamed.
John Wants to Play
Former MLS standout forward Stern John has warned Birmingham City of the English Premier League that he could leave after his contract runs out this summer if he doesn’t become a starter.
The former Columbus Crew star has had recent success coming off the bench, but he said he doesn’t want that to become standard procedure.
“I feel that I have Premiership quality and I want to play. I want to stay here and hopefully scoring goals will help me to do that,” the Trinidad and Tobago international said.
“I will have to keep my options open because if they do not want me here I will have to move on with my career.”
CONCACAF News
Cuba and St. Lucia barely won CONCACAF World Cup qualifying games Sunday.
The Cubans got an 89th-minute goal from Luis Marten to beat the host Cayman Islands, 2-1. St. Lucia defeated host British Virgin Islands, 1-0.
Cuba will play host to the Cayman Islands on March 27 with the series winner moving on to play Costa Rica.
St. Lucia will play host to the British Virgin Islands on March 28 with the series winner moving on to play Panama.
Quick Passes
The U.S. and Mexico are set to renew their bitter rivalry in a “friendly” on April 28 in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl, the Dallas Morning News reported.... Manchester United will be without defender Mikael Silvestre for three weeks because of an ankle injury suffered Saturday in a 1-1 tie against Leeds United.... Roque Maspoli, a goalkeeper who helped Uruguay win the 1950 World Cup and later coached his country’s national team, has died. He was 86.... Benito Floro quit as coach of Villarreal in the Spanish league, saying his players lacked commitment.
-- Compiled by Jim Barrero
