Ronald Matarrita’s World Cup has ended in heartbreak, as the New York City FC fullback has been ruled out for the balance of the tournament by a hamstring injury suffered during Costa Rica’s training session in St. Petersburg on Thursday.
Matarrita has been struggling with intermittent hamstring issues for months, and has been ruled out for two weeks with his latest flareup, a grade one strain, leading Costa Rica coach Oscar Ramirez to call up Kenner Gutierrez in his place.
“Ronald Matarrita had been presenting, a few days ago, discomfort on the back of his right thigh, was treated with physical therapy treatment, readjustment and medication, but during training yesterday player tells us that there is no improvement in his discomfort,” said team doctor Alejandro Ramirez in a release from the Costa Rican federation on Friday after MRI and ultrasound tests were conducted on the left back’s right leg.
Los Ticos open their World Cup campaign vs. Serbia in Samara on Saturday.
