Italy midfielder Riccardo Montolivo  and Mexico's midfielder Montes are set to miss the World Cup after friendly matches turned into injuries.

Italy vrs Ireland

Italy midfielder Riccardo Montolivo will miss the World Cup after breaking his left leg during the 0-0 draw with Republic of Ireland at Craven Cottage.

The AC Milan player, 29, was carried off on a stretcher after a challenge from Reading defender Alex Pearce.

Italy team doctor Enrico Castellacci said: "I haven't seen the X-ray yet to evaluate the extent of it, but for a broken bone you can expect surgery."

Italy face England, Uruguay and Costa Rica in World Cup Group D.

Montolivo, winning his 58th cap, lasted just eight minutes of Italy's penultimate warm-up game, and was immediately taken to a London hospital for X-rays, which confirmed the damage.

He was replaced by former Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who went off at half-time complaining of dizziness.

Aquilani's Fiorentina team-mate Giuseppe Rossi may have secured his place in Italy's 23-man squad for Brazil, though, by playing for 70 minutes on his return from knee trouble.

 

In Mexico -Ecuador friendly

Luis Montes' World Cup dream is dead and buried after the Mexico midfielder suffered a suspected leg fracture against Ecuador on Saturday night.

The 28-year-old got his side going in the 3-1 win with a stunning strike on 33 minutes, only for his fortunes to change horrifically two minutes later.

Montes was stretchered off after a coming together with Ecuador's Segundo Castillo, leaving coach Miguel Herrera to admit the team 'prayed for him'.

'We prayed for him and now we're going to hope that he recuperates as soon as possible,' said Mexico coach Miguel Herrera, speaking through a translator. 

'We're going to have a long talk tomorrow to keep the players focused.'

The clash left Montes, who plays his football for Leon, unable to stand as the Mexican covered his face while carried off the field to the applause of 84,876 fans. 

Castillo, too, limped off after the entanglement and did not return.

Montes was sent to the hospital for an evaluation of the apparent fracture to his lower right leg, and looks certain to be absent for Mexico's World Cup campaign in Group A against Brazil, Croatia and Cameroon.

Mexican captain Rafael Marquez also went to the hospital for an injury to his right foot, but Herrera said the move was precautionary after Montes' injury. 

Ecuador, on the other hand, have one final friendly before the World Cup starts and take on Roy Hodgson's England in Miami on Wednesday.