Center

Rooney ruled out of opening stages

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-27 16:41

LONDON, May 26 - Striker Wayne Rooney was ruled out of the opening stages of England's World Cup campaign on Friday with a broken right foot but may still be available for the latter stages of the tournament.

His club Manchester United said in a statement that a scan on Thursday showed the 20-year-old's metatarsal break was healing as expected and another scan on June 14 could clear the way for him to start training.

"This is very encouraging news," England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said in a statement. "The fact that he is flying out to Germany with us will give everyone a huge lift."

England open their Group B campaign against Paraguay on June 10 and finish against Sweden on June 20. If they qualify their second round match would be on June 24 or 25.

Playmaker Michael Ballack will miss Germany's warmup match against Luxembourg in Freiburg on Saturday because of a minor ankle injury.

The German Football Association said on Friday Ballack would need three or four days before he could return to full training.

The World Cup hosts play the opening game of the tournament against Costa Rica in Munich on June 9.

South Korea, semi-finalists at the 2002 tournament they co-hosted with Japan, welcomed the return of their Europe-based players by defeating Bosnia 2-0 in a World Cup warmup match in Seoul.

South Korea coach Dick Advocaat had brought back his European players, including England-based duo Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo, after his team had struggled to impose themselves in their last warm-up match against Senegal.

Seol Ki-hyeon opened the scoring for the home side in the 50th minute, heading in from close range after Bosnia keeper Romeo Mitrovic could only half-clear an effort by Ahn Jung-hwan.

Cho Jae-jin made certain of victory by blasting in a second from the edge of the area in the 90th minute, to the delight of the 64,836 spectators in the Seoul World Cup stadium.