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Saborio to miss World Cup after suffering foot injury

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Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Just a few weeks away from starting its tough World Cup campaign, Costa Rica has been dealt a serious blow.

It was announced Thursday that Alvaro Saborio will miss the World Cup after suffering an injury to the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the Ticos’ morning training session. Saborio is expected to miss three to four months due to the injury, which means he would not return to action for Real Salt Lake until late summer or early fall at the earliest.

The news is crushing for Costa Rica, which was an underdog to make it out of its extremely competitive group even before the 32-year-old striker with 93 caps and 32 goals sustained the injury. The Ticos were drawn in an extremely competitive Group D that includes Uruguay, Italy and England.

Costa Rica kicks off its World Cup campaign against Uruguay on June 14 at Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza.

What do you make of this development? How big of a blow is this for the Ticos? Think Costa Rica has literally no shot of advancing out of the group with Saborio ruled out?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Having been to Costa Rica for the WCQ there and having thoroughly enjoyed my time there (the people are incredibly hospitable), I have a little corner of my heart reserved for CR and had hoped to see them do well in Brazil. What a blow for their hopes to get out of their group…

    Sorry Ticos!

    Reply
    • Yeah, at this point, you really need to root for the other CONCACAF teams (unless of course you’re in a knockout match vs. one), since WC success by any is a benefit to all. It’s going to take an even more remarkable effort by them to get out of their group … I’d say their GK needs to stand on his head, but I think now it’s more like levitate

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  2. Costa Rica missing Saborio, England missing Walcott, and Uruguay with major Suarez doubts… I don’t like the Azzuri, and this is peaches for them.

    Reply
    • For me, Sterling is an upgrade over Walcott so nothing lost there. Rodriguez’s injury, however, hurt more. That said, England still don’t have much of a chance of making it out of the group….

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  3. As a CONCACAF fan, one who enjoyed time spent in Costa Rica, and a LA Galaxy fan, I would really like to have seen this happen with his last kick of the ball at the World Cup, rather than before it starts.

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    • This x100

      Man, it must be absolutely terrible and devastating to be this close to achieving a lifelong dream and then it abruptly ends.

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    • This. News of players getting training injuries and missing the WC is absolutely horrible. Fan der Faart also got injured in training and is missing the WC.

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  4. One that sucks for anyone to miss the world cup but as an RSL fan. I hate to lose Sabo for 2-3 months….. Ahhhhhh

    Reply
    • You and me both. I like Sandoval, but he isn’t Sabo. And with Plata’s on and off again hamstring, Findlay’s uncertainty in form coming back from an injury, this is a huge concern.

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      • Its concerning as an RSL fan. Someone has to emerge out of the remaining forwards. Can Cassar keep it together (KIT) or will Garth have to go out and find another forward?

      • I’m also an RSL fan, but not a Saborio fan. Still, I don’t wish injury on anyone. I hope he recovers well and quickly.

  5. This is horrible news! I wanted Costa Rica, Honduras, and USA to get into the World Cup at full-strength and do well. Now no Donovan and no Saborio.

    Reply

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