December 1, 2008
Soccer
Sevilla player, 22, dies after collapse
Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta died yesterday, three days after collapsing on the field during his team's Spanish league game against Getafe.
Puerta, who was 22, died of "multiple organ failure stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest" and subsequent coronary problems, said Gimeno Guerrero, director of Virgen del Rocio Hospital, in a statement.
"This is one of the saddest days in the history of FC Sevilla," team president Jose Maria del Nido said, trying to hold back tears.
Puerta had been in an intensive care unit since Saturday and had been given assisted ventilation, but his condition worsened yesterday.
Puerta lost consciousness and fell near his team's goal Saturday in the 31st minute, but was able to walk off minutes later after being treated by team doctors. Doctors said he had a heart attack in the locker room and at least one more in the emergency room of a Seville hospital.
Sevilla, which beat Getafe, 4-1, in Saturday's match, was scheduled to play at AEK Athens yesterday in the second leg of Champions League qualifying, but the match was postponed by the Union of European Football Associations.
Puerta, who was born in Seville, has played for Spain's national team and scored one of Sevilla's penalty kicks in the shootout win over Espanyol in May in the UEFA Cup final.
He also scored an injury-time goal that led Sevilla over Schalke in the semifinals of the 2006 UEFA Cup. Sevilla went on to win the final, beating Middlesbrough, 4-0.
• Galaxy // English superstar David Beckham and U.S. standout Landon Donovan are likely to be in Los Angeles' lineup against Mexican champion Pachuca in tonight's SuperLiga final in Carson, Calif. Beckham has been bothered by a sprained left ankle since June and was limping after playing full matches on consecutive nights for England in London and the Galaxy in Carson last week. Donovan strained his right calf in a game Aug. 18. The SuperLiga is an eight-team tournament involving clubs from Major League Soccer and Mexico's first division.
• Beasley // American midfielder DaMarcus Beasley entered in the 80th minute for Glasgow Rangers and was booed but not racially abused by Red Star Belgrade fans in Serbia. Beasley, who is black, said he had been racially insulted by Red Star fans when he played in Belgrade with the Dutch team PSV Eindhoven two years ago. On Aug. 7 in Montenegro, he scored his first goal for Rangers and was taunted by fans during a 1-0 victory over FK Zeta.
Mixx it!
Copyright © 2008, The Baltimore Sun
Popular stories
- Beth Whitehouse: Some boomers rewrite the book on 'Grandma'/'Grandpa'
- Senate debate gets personal
- John Eisenberg: Iron Man's timing on, as always
- Thefts during Hurricane Charley few but costly
- A weekend in Ridgefield, Conn.
- A weekend in Ridgefield, Conn.
- Recession primer: How to cut costs
- Bill O'Donovan: The next judge
- Call in the family
- Pennsylvania
- Los Angeles County
- New Orleans Saints
- Teaching and Learning
- Injuries
