Soccer-Costa Rica defender Miller out of quarter-final

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, July 1 (Reuters) - Costa Rica defender Roy Miller is out of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands with a muscle injury in his left leg suffered during training. "The injury will keep him off the pitch for several days," the Central American nation's football association said of the 29-year-old left back who hurt himself practising penalties. Costa Rica have been arguably the biggest surprise at the World Cup, emerging top of a group including Italy, England and Uruguay with two wins and a draw. The 'Ticos' then squeezed past Greece in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw when they were reduced to 10 men following the sending-off of defender Oscar Duarte. They play the Dutch in Salvador on Saturday. The lanky and versatile Miller, who plays for New York Red Bulls, normally operates at left back but can also slot in at the centre of defence. So his absence will be particularly felt against the Dutch given Duarte's suspension. Miller made his professional debut with Costa Rica's Cartagines before moving to Norway, where he eventually joined top side Rosenborg Trondheim. He was an unused substitute for the Greece game, having been injured two days before that. (Writing by Andrew Cawthorne, editing by Ed Osmond)