SAITAMA (Japan), June 3: Belgium suffered a double defensive blow on the eve of Tuesday’s World Cup opener against co-hosts Japan when Glen De Boeck and Nico Van Kerckhoven were ruled out of the group H game through injury.

Central defender De Boeck injured his right foot in a warm-up win over Costa Rica eight days ago and aggravated the same injury in training last week.

“He is only 80 percent fit and that is not enough to play a World Cup game,” coach Robert Waseige told reporters.

“He took the decision himself and decided, for the good of the team, that he should not play if he wasn’t 100 percent.”

Left-back Van Kerckhoven has pulled a thigh muscle which he sustained practising penalties in training on Sunday, although fears that he had ruptured knee ligaments proved unfounded.

“He has not torn a muscle, it’s just a pull,” Waseige said. “He won’t be able to play tomorrow but should be back in a couple of days.”

Waseige also hopes De Boeck will be fit for Belgium’s second game against Tunisia in Oita on June 10.

The Belgian coach was deprived of several key players before the finals due to injury, including striker Emile Mpenza and defenders Philippe Clement and Joos Valgaeren.

Captain Marc Wilmots is back in training, although he is carrying a knee knock.

In Van Kerckhoven’s absence, Peter Van der Heyden is favourite to play at left back, while Eric Van Meir should replace De Boeck.

However, several times in training over the past week Belgium have practised playing a three-man defence and Waseige, who usually sticks rigidly to a standard 4-4-2 formation, could yet spring a surprise by playing 3-5-2 against the Japanese.

“I don’t rule it out but it’s not certain either,” Waseige said enigmatically.

Russia and Tunisia are the other teams in group H.—Reuters