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Chile's Fernandes breaks leg, likely to miss World Cup

Junior Fernandes (R) of Chile's Universidad de Chile fights for the ball with Rolando Schiavi of Argentina's Boca Juniors during their Copa Libertadores semi-final soccer match at Santiago, June 21, 2012 file photo. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile forward Junior Fernandes suffered a broken leg playing for Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday and looks almost certain to miss the World Cup. Fernandes scored the second goal in Dinamo's 3-0 win at NK Split in the Croatian first division before coming off injured and was due to have surgery on Wednesday night. "Fernandes suffered a fibula injury in the match in Split and will be operated on tonight when the team return to Zagreb," the club said on their website (www.gnkdinamo.hr) without specifying how long his recovery might take. He was certain to be included in Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli's 23-man squad for the tournament in Brazil starting on June 12. Chile face Australia, world champions Spain and the Netherlands in Group B. (Reporting by Javier Leira; Writing by Rex Gowar in Buenos Aires, editing by Ed Osmond)