PORTO, Portugal -- Colombia striker Radamel Falcao is in a race against time to get fit for the World Cup in June after undergoing knee surgery Saturday, with his doctor giving him a better than 50-50 chance of making it. Matthew Slater Jersey . Falcao, known as El Tigre, is Colombias star player, and the hopes the country places on him merited a bedside visit from Colombias president after Falcao awoke from his anesthetic. Juan Manuel Santoss presidential plane made a detour on his way home from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to check on Falcao at Trindade hospital in downtown Porto, northern Portugal. "Hes in good spirits, hes very optimistic," Santos told reporters outside the hospital. Santos said Colombia, which will face Ivory Coast, Greece and Japan in Group C at the tournament in Brazil, has a strong group of players "but Falcao has become a symbol of the national team." The Portuguese doctor who performed the surgery said it went according to plan. Dr Jose Carlos Noronha said a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which Falcao contracted in his left knee, can often take more than six months to heal. However, he wouldnt rule out the possibility of the player recovering in time for Colombias World Cup opener against Greece on June 14. "It went well," Noronha said of the surgery to graft a tendon onto Falcaos knee. "The light at the end of the tunnel isnt small." Every patient recovers at a different pace, he said. "Theres a possibility of him going to the tournament," Noronha said. "Its not out of the question." The 27-year-old Falcao injured his knee playing for Monaco in the French Cup on Wednesday. Inflammation from the original injury had gone down relatively quickly, Noronha said, allowing surgery to go ahead three days later. However, Noronha warned that Falcao "cant rush his recovery." Falcao is set to be released from the hospital on Monday. Noronha said he expected Falcao to continue his recovery in Monaco. Jamie Collins Jersey . -- The new starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs is a former first-round draft pick on a one-year deal whose career thus far has been a disappointment. Michael Hoomanawanui Patriots Jersey . -- Packers cornerback Tramon Williams has been fined $26,250 for contact with an official, per NFL guidelines.ATLANTA -- Lloyd McClendons unusual lineup left the Seattle manager answering questions about his teams scoring potential. As it turned out, Hisashi Iwakuma and the Mariners stingy bullpen didnt need much offence. Iwakuma combined with two relievers on a six-hit shutout and the streaking Mariners beat the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Wednesday to complete a two-game sweep. Cole Gillespie and Kyle Seager hit run-scoring singles. Seattle has won five straight, matching its longest winning streak of the season. Perhaps the most puzzling piece of the lineup was Stefen Romero, who hit cleanup for the first time this season. "Somebody has got to hit there," McClendon said before the game. "I dont have Bonds, so its going to be Romero." Romero, who hit a pinch-hit homer in Tuesday nights 7-5 win over the Braves, took a .204 batting average into the game. He came through with two hits, including a triple, and scored a run. Willie Bloomquist had a single and a walk as he started at first base for the first time in four years and hit leadoff for only the second time this year. Iwakuma overcame an early start -- 9:10 a.m. in Seattle -- and Atlantas heat to dominate the Braves. The first-pitch temperature was 84 degrees. Iwakuma (4-2) gave up only six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in seven innings. The right-hander was sharp, throwing 71 of his 96 pitches for strikes. "I knew I needed to focus more than regular games because of the heat," Iwakuma said through a translator. "I was just trying to focus and get quick outs to go deeper in the game and thats what I was able to do." Mike Minor (2-4) allowed only one run in seven innings, but the Braves fell to 0-6 in interleague games. Yoervis Medina pitched a perfect eighth before Fernando Rodney earned his 16th save with three straight outs in the ninth. Seattle relievers threw eight scoreless innings in the two-game sweep. The Braves were held scoreless in the final seven innings of Tuesday nights loss. The streak of consecutive scoreless inningss reached 16 on Wednesday. Stephen Gostkowski Patriots Jersey. "We had a tough time figuring out their starter," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "The guys only throwing 87, 88 miles an hour but he sure looked like he was throwing a lot harder. I know he had movement and some deception but we didnt square up too many balls against him. He was pretty darn good." Iwakuma, a 2013 All-Star, gave up a combined nine runs in back-to-back losses to Houston and Detroit before returning to form against the Braves. "He was much better getting the ball down in the zone," Seattle catcher Mike Zunino said. "We wanted to make an emphasis on keeping the ball down and he was. He was able to get to that bottom shelf and stay there for the majority of the game and just mix all his pitches." Gillespies RBI single in the fourth gave Seattle a 1-0 lead that held until the eighth, when Romero tripled off Luis Avilan. Pinch-runner James Jones scored on Seagers single to right field. Minor allowed only five hits and one run in seven innings. He matched his season high with 10 strikeouts. Freddie Freeman had three strikeouts against Iwakuma and finished 0-for-4. Gonzalez unsuccessfully challenged first-base umpire Will Littles ninth-inning call that Justin Upton was out at first base on the throw from shortstop Brad Miller. The review lasted only 40 seconds. NOTES: Seattle also won five straight from May 3-7. ... Bloomquists last start at first base came in 2010 with Kansas City. The versatile Bloomquist also has started at second base, third base, shortstop, left field and right field this season, and he is the emergency catcher. ... Seattle players wore T-shirts honouring athletic trainer Rick Griffins 5,000th regular-season game. He joined the team in 1983. ... The Braves and Mariners are off on Thursday. The Braves open a weekend series at Arizona on Friday, when RHP Julio Teheran faces RHP Brandon McCarthy. Seattles east coast swing shifts to Tampa Bay, when Mariners RHP Chris Young will face LHP Erik Bedard. cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '