Costa Rican Martinez earns reprieve for World Cup playoff

SAN JOSE, Nov 4 (Reuters) - An apology for spending the day at the beach while his Costa Rica team mates were training earned defender Gilberto Martinez a recall on Wednesday for the World Cup playoff against Uruguay.

A spokeswoman for the Costa Rican Football Federation told Reuters on Wednesday that Martinez had said sorry.

“Now we have to see when he is available to join the squad,” she added.

Martinez, who plays for Brescia in Italy’s Serie B, was spotted at the beach by a television crew when he should have been reporting to coach Rene Simoes ahead of the penultimate CONCACAF qualifier at home to Trinidad & Tobago on Oct. 10.

Brazilian Simoes had demanded an apology from the 30-year-old before he would pick him for the two-legged playoff against Uruguay on Nov. 14 and 18.

“The doors have never been closed for Gilberto but to be able to come in (to the squad) … first he must apologise to the Costa Rica people and to the administrator of the senior national team,” Simoes told reporters on Tuesday.

Simoes, who has several injury doubts, named a 32-man squad last week that did not include Martinez, a veteran of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

“I have a moral debt with the Tico (Costa Rican) people,” the defender was quoted as telling the media. “I made a mistake.”

Costa Rica qualified for the playoff by finishing fourth in the region’s six-team group while Uruguay made it as South America’s fifth-placed team.

(Reporting by Rex Gowar in Buenos Aires, editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)