Sao Paulo's Itaquerao World Cup stadium moved a step closer to its official unveiling Saturday when Brazilian giants Corinthians held their first training session at the venue.
"It's a historic day," Xinhua quoted Corinthians' former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Renato Augusto as saying.
The 68,000-seat stadium is earmarked to be the 10th of Brazil's 12 World Cup venues to open April 15.
"The stadium has passed the test. It reminds of the best stadiums in Germany. The pitch is really good, the ball rolls fast."
Other stadiums yet to be ready for the June 12-July 13 event are Arena da Baixada in Curitiba and Cuaiba's Arena Pantanal.
The Itaquerao's partial opening comes almost four months after two workers died when a crane collapsed on the venue's facade.
The stadium will stage six World Cup matches, including the opener between Brazil and Croatia June 12.
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