Costa Rica coach Alexandre Guimaraes has cut the country's provisional World Cup squad to 24 players and given injured defenders Harold Wallace and Michael Rodriguez until the end of the week to recover or miss out on Germany.

Guimaraes, who last week announced a 28-man squad, on Monday said that he was dispensing with goalkeeper Adrian de Lemos, defenders Cristian Montero and Carlos Johnson and forward Bryan Ruiz.

However, he said that Johnson and Ruiz would be kept on standby in case of injuries to other players.

Wallace is recovering from a thigh strain and is expected the make the deadline while Rodriguez has an injury to his right knee.

Costa Rica, who will be playing at its third World Cup, faces Ecuador, Poland and hosts Germany in its first-round group.

Goalkeepers: Wardy Alfaro (Alajuelense), Jose Porras (Saprissa), Alvaro Mesen (Herediano)

Defenders: Gilberto Martinez (Brescia, Italy), Roy Miller (Bodo Glimt, Norway), Luis Marin (Alajuelense), Michael Rodriguez (Alajuelense), Harold Wallace (Alajuelense), Jervis Drummond (Saprissa), Douglas Sequeira (Real Salt Lake City, United States), Leonardo Gonzalez (Herediano), Michael Umana (Brujas), Gabriel Badilla (Saprissa)

Midfielders: Carlos Hernandez (Alajuelense), Walter Centeno (Saprissa), Christian Bolanos (Saprissa), Randall Azofeifa (Saprissa), Mauricio Solis (Comunicaciones, Guatemala), Danny Fonseca (Cartagines)

Forwards: Ronald Gomez (Saprissa), Alvaro Saborio (Saprissa), Victor Nunez (Cartagines), Kurt Bernard (Puntarenas), Paulo Wanchope (Herediano)

Source: Xinhua