Tunisia striker Santos to miss opener with Saudis

SCHWEINFURT, Germany, June 8 (Reuters) Tunisia's leading striker Francileudo dos Santos will miss their opening World Cup game against Saudi Arabia next week with a shin injury, his team mate Mehdi Nafti told reporters today.

The team spokesman would not comment on the news but Nafti told reporters the players had been told Santos would miss the first Group H game and possibly the second against Spain.

The Brazilian-born 27-year-old has scored 18 goals in 28 matches for Tunisia since switching allegiance at the start of 2004, including one strike in their 2004 African Nations Cup final win over Morocco and six in World Cup qualifying.

Tunisia will launch their World Cup challenge against the Saudis in Munich on Wednesday before facing Spain and Ukraine.

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