Di Maria racing time to be fit for World Cup final

Argentina's Angel di Maria runs during a team soccer training session at the arena di Corinthians stadium in Sao Paulo, July 8, 2014, a day before their 2014 World Cup semifinal soccer match against the Netherlands. [Photo/Agencies]

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil - Argentina winger Angel Di Maria is racing against the clock to recover from a thigh injury in time for the World Cup final against Germany on Sunday.

Argentina team spokesman Andres Ventura says Di Maria was practicing at "60-80 percent" at the team base in Belo Horizonte, and that team doctors would monitor his condition on a daily basis "to see if he can play."

Di Maria strained a muscle in his right thigh in the first half of the quarterfinal match against Belgium last Saturday. He missed Wednesday's semifinal against the Netherlands, with Enzo Perez taking his spot in Argentina's midfield.

Though Perez worked hard in the midfield, Argentina lost an important feature of its attacking game without Di Maria's runs down the flanks.