Monday, 7 July 2014
Belo Horizonte, Brazil: Argentina midfielder Angel Di Maria has been ruled out of the World Cup semifinal against the Netherlands with a thigh injury while striker Sergio Aguero has been declared fit to play after recovering from a similar problem.
Di Maria limped off the field in the first half of Argentina's quarterfinal win over Belgium after straining a muscle in the back of his right thigh.
Team doctor Daniel Martinez on Sunday said tests showed it was a "first-degree" strain - the mildest kind but added that Di Maria wouldn't be fit to play in Wednesday's semifinal. (Also read: Argentine Coach Wanted Di Maria to Play Semis)
Martinez said Aguero, who sustained a similar injury 10 days ago, had recovered in an "excellent" way.
Losing Di Maria is a big blow for Argentina as it prepares for its first World Cup semifinal since 1990. Besides Lionel Messi, he's been the team's most influential player in Brazil.
Di Maria scored the extra-time winner against Switzerland in the second round and set up Gonzalo Higuain's winning goal in the first half against Belgium on Saturday.
"He's a key player in this project," Higuain said of Di Maria.
The last time Argentina reached the semifinal stage in the World Cup was 24 years ago in Italy, when it made it to the final but lost 1-0 to West Germany.
via:-http://sports.ndtv.com/fifa-world-cup-2014/news/226577-fifa-world-cup-2014-argentina-s-angel-di-maria-ruled-out-of-semifinals
