Doctors say Cabanas improving slowly

Doctors trying to save the life of footballer Salvador Cabanas say the Paraguayan has begun to move his extremities - a sign that he has brain function after being shot in the head in a Mexico City bar.

Dr. Enrique Martinez told reporters late Thursday that Cabanas' condition had slowly begun to improve and brain swelling had gone down.

Cabanas, who was shot just before dawn on Monday, plays for Mexican club America and is also a top scorer on the Paraguay national team, which will play in the World Cup in South Africa this year.

"He's begun to move constantly," Martinez said. "He's moving his extremities, and these voluntary movements are very good because it has to do with brain function."

"Salvador continues in a delicate stage, but his life signs are better and the brain swelling has begun to do down."

On Thursday the newspapers 'Record' and 'Reforma', quoting records they said came from prosecutor's documents, said a bar-cleaning employee testified the shooting took place after Cabanas got into an argument with the prime suspect in the case.

That suspect, identified as Jose J. Balderas Garza, has reportedly not been detained. He was identified on bar's surveillance cameras.

According to the newspapers, Balderas Garza told Cabanas he had not been scoring enough goals with America. Cabanas was reportedly put off by the comments, and the shooting in the bathroom followed.

The office of Mexico City Attorney General Miguel Angel Mancera would not confirm or deny the report when questioned by The AP.

Cabanas' agent, Jose Maria Gonzalez, was critical police had not arrested the suspect.

"As long as they don't find this individual, we can't feel safe in Mexico," he said.

Hours after the shooting on Monday, surgeons attempted to remove a bullet lodged in Cabanas' skull but decided the operation was too risky.

Cabanas has played in Mexico since 2003 and has scored 125 goals in 218 matches. He also has scored 10 for the Paraguay national team and was expected to lead the team when the World Cup opens in June in South Africa.

Earlier this month he attracted the attention of Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, who expressed interest in bringing Cabanas to the English Premier League club. Reports suggested the deal didn't go through because America's asking price was too high.