Soccer: Five make late start

Five players, including Paraguay's eccentric goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, will be suspended for at least their countries' first matches at the World Cup finals, Fifa said yesterday.

Mexico will be without two players, Joahan Rodriguez and Jesus Arellano, for their first Group G game against Croatia at Ibaraki in Japan on June 3.

Chilavert, who likes to stray out of his goal to score at the other end, will miss his side's first Group B match against South Africa on June 2.Ifeanyi Udeze will have to sit out Nigeria's first Group F match against Argentina on June 2 in Ibaraki and in Group A, Senegal's Pape Sarr is suspended for the opening match against France on Friday in Seoul.

nzherald.co.nz/fifaworldcup

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