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Suarez fit to start v Italy

Sete Lagoas - Uruguay striker Luis Suarez will be fit to face Italy in their final Soccer World Cup Group D game next week after suffering cramp late in his match-winning two-goal performance against England, the team's doctor said.

Suarez scored with a clever first-half header and struck the winner five minutes from time with a trademark powerful shot as Uruguay beat England 2-1 on Thursday.

But doubts were raised about the extent of his recovery from knee surgery barely a month ago with the frontman, who missed Uruguay's opening defeat by Costa Rica, taken off two minutes from time.

"He was exhausted, very tired, as we expected, even cramped, but he is already doing recovering exercises and is ready for the next match," Alberto Pan told reporters on Friday in the small town of Sete Lagoas where Uruguay have their training base for the tournament.

Pan said Uruguay captain Diego Lugano, who missed the England game due to pain in his left knee, was still undergoing treatment but had not been ruled out of playing against Italy in Natal on Tuesday.

Uruguay, who like Italy, have three points from two games but must beat the four-times world champions to reach the last 16 because of an inferior goal difference. Costa Rica are already through to the knockout stage and England eliminated.

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