May 24, 2002

Veteran Argentina striker Claudio Caniggia is just days from fitness after recovering from an injury that had threatened to rule him out of the World Cup.

Coach Marcelo Bielsa said on Friday that the Rangers forward would be ready for selection within three days.

"The team is evolving in a favourable fashion," Bielsa told a news conference at Argentina's J-Village training camp in eastern Japan.

"The two players - Caniggia and (Matias) Almeyda - who are not yet fully fit will have totally recovered in three days' time."

The 35-year-old Caniggia did not feature in Argentina's impressive qualifying campaign but got a late call-up by Bielsa and could stake a claim for a place on the right wing.

But he picked up a knee injury in the Scottish Cup final against Celtic and doctors had believed he would not be fit in time for the World Cup.

Caniggia had a starring role in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, his goal knocking the hosts out of the competition as Argentina progressed to the final.

But a Fifa ban for drug abuse saw his career nose-dive until some impressive performances for Rangers earned him a international recall in February - his first game for his country for six years.

BBC Sport Online