MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on the opening day of the World Cup (all times local):
12:35 p.m.
Peru coach Ricardo Gareca will not commit to playing recently reinstated striker Paolo Guerrero in their World Cup opener against Denmark.
Gareca’s only promise in a news conference Friday is that if Peru’s all-time goal scorer gets into the game, he’ll be fit and ready.
The 34-year-old Guerrero was allowed to play in the World Cup only after a doping suspension was frozen by a Swiss Supreme Court judge.
The striker has played few games since FIFA’s initial suspension in November.
Guererro was Peru’s top goal scorer in South American World Cup qualifying, netting five in the campaign.
Team captains of Peru’s rivals in Group C recently asked FIFA to lift Guerrero’s suspension so he could play against France, Denmark and Australia.
Guerrero has blamed his test failure on a tainted cup of tea at a Lima hotel.
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12:00 p.m.
Costa Rica defender Ronald Matarrita will not play in the World Cup because of a right hamstring injury.
The Costa Rican federation says Matarrita will be replaced on the Ticos’ roster by Kenner Gutierrez.
Following training at the team’s St. Petersburg camp, the left back had an MRI which confirmed the injury. Matarrita, who plays for the MLS club NYCFC, will miss at least two weeks.
Costa Rica is preparing to play Serbia in its World Cup opener on Sunday in Samara. The Ticos are hoping to improve on their finish at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when they advanced to the quarterfinals.
Matarrita was one of six players from Major League Soccer on Costa Rica’s roster.
Gutierrez plays for Alajuelense in Costa Rica’s top division.
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