AGUSTIN DELGADO has played down injury fears on the eve of the World Cup, insisting a training knock picked up in Japan on Sunday evening was "nothing serious".

The Southampton striker picked up the injury to his ankle at the Ecuador training camp in Tottori, Japan.

It was feared that this may put him out of contention for his country's Group G opener with Italy in Sapporo on June 3.

But news from the Ecuador camp this morning is more encouraging. Delgado was dismissive about the extent of the injury. He explained:

"I was hit, but not very strong, and I know that I won't have problems to obtain the best physical conditions before the first World Cup game.

"I have a desire to be there and I know I am going to do it.

"The injury has nothing to do with the knee, but it is really the ankle."

The Ecuador FA insist that this latest injury has nothing to do with the two knee operations Delgado has had in the past six months, and suggest that the 14-hour flight from Spain to their Japanese training base could have had something to do with the injury.