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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Soccer - Suarez not fully fit but may still face Paraguay in qualifier

Soccer Football - 2018 World Cup Qualifiers - Uruguay v Argentina - Centenario stadium, Montevideo, Uruguay - August 31, 2017. Uruguay's Luis Suarez sings his country's national anthem before the match against Argentina. REUTERS/Andres Stapff

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Uruguay striker Luis Suarez is not fully fit after a series of problems with his right leg but is still likely to play in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Paraguay, hiscoach Oscar Tabarez said on Sunday.

Suarez was on the sidelines for two weeks with a right knee injury sustained while playing for Barcelona and although he recovered in time for Thursday's 0-0 draw with Argentina he limped off with cramp eight minutes from the end.

"He wasn't 100 percent and is not going to be 100 percent but he is much better," Tabarez told reporters ahead of the South American qualifying game in Asuncion.

"We can't say that just because he didn't train we are going to leave him out."

Uruguay are third in the 10-team South American group, while Paraguay's win over Chile lifted them into seventh, three points behind. The top four teams qualify automatically for next year's finals in Russia, while the fifth-placed side go into a play-off with a team from the Oceania confederation.

(Writing by Andrew Downie; Editing by Clare Fallon)

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