RIO DE JANEIRO: Mexico’s prospects of successfully defending their Olympic football gold medal have been upset by injury to star striker Oribe Peralta, one of their match-winners in Londonin 2012.

Both striker Peralta and Rodolfo Pizarro will return home after being injured in Sunday 5-1 victory over minnows Fiji in the second round of games in Group C of the men’s tournament.

Club America’s Peralta completed the game despite picking up a fractured bone in his nose while Pachuca’s Pizarro fractured his right fibula in the 35th minute. Mexico are allowed to replace both players.#

El Tri drew 2-2 with Germany in their opening game before Sunday’s victory in which Fiji threatened a shock after leading 1-0 at half-time.

Mexico play South Korea in Brasilia on Wednesday knowing they must win to ensure progress to the quarterfinals.

Peralta was not only a goal-scoring hero for Mexico against Brazil in the 2012 fibal but opened the scoring against the Germans.

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