Injured Tevez out of Argentina World Cup qualifiers

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina striker Carlos Tevez has pulled out of their squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Brazil on Thursday and Colombia next Tuesday, the Argentine FA said on Tuesday.

Tevez, who helped Boca Juniors win the Argentine first division championship and Copa Argentina knockout competition this month, joins Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta and Ezequiel Garay on coach Gerardo Martino’s injury list.

“The national team suffers another withdrawal: now it is Carlos Tevez. The forward has muscle fatigue and a twisted left knee and so won’t be able to play in the next two qualifiers,” the AFA said in a statement on its website (www.afa.org.ar).

Argentina, whose poor start to the qualifiers has yielded one point from a possible six and no goals, host arch-rivals Brazil at El Monumental on Thursday before travelling to face Colombia in Barranquilla on Tuesday.

(Writing by Rex Gowar; editing by Ken Ferris)