Paredes holds Suazo hope

Esteban Paredes admits the Chile squad are keeping their fingers crossed that Humberto Suazo will be fit for the World Cup.

Striker travels to South Africa as he continues recovery

Esteban Paredes admits the Chile squad are keeping their fingers crossed that star striker Humberto Suazo will be fit for the World Cup. Suazo suffered a hamstring injury against Israel last week and a date for his return to action has yet to be decided, with Chile's first game against Honduras on 16th June. Fellow forward Paredes is aware of Suazo's importance to the national team and is hoping his team-mate will be fit for the tournament. Paredes said: "Although he is injured, we are hoping he'll recover as soon as possible so that he can play, as he is an undisputed starter." Suazo's agent Fernando Felicevich has confirmed that the country's leading scorer in qualifying has travelled to South Africa with the rest of the squad. Felicevich told Chilean website Emol that Suazo had not yet fully recovered from his hamstring tear, but added that: "Humberto will travel with the team to South Africa." He also said that, contrary to some reports in Chile, Suazo had been responding well to treatment, including oxygen therapy sessions in a hyperbaric chamber designed to speed up recovery. Chile open their Group H schedule against Honduras in Nelspruit on 16th June before further games against Switzerland on 21st June and Spain on 25th June.