Douglas Costa to sit out Brazil's Group E finale with thigh injury

Brazil's forward Douglas Costa celebrates at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group E football match between Brazil and Costa Rica at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 22, 2018.
GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP / Getty

Brazil head coach Tite just lost his wild card.

Douglas Costa will miss his country's final Group E clash against Serbia on Wednesday because of a thigh injury, the Selecao confirmed in a statement.

Scans discovered that Costa tweaked a muscle in the second half of Friday's 2-0 victory over Costa Rica.

Full-back Danilo, who missed the contest with a thigh problem of his own, has also been ruled out of the team's upcoming encounter with the Serbs.

Costa was expected to challenge for a spot in Tite's starting lineup in Moscow on Wednesday after an effective performance off the bench against the Costa Ricans. He invigorated Brazil's sputtering attack and set up Neymar's late insurance goal.

Neymar, meanwhile, completed the full 90 minutes without aggravating his injured right foot.

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