Euro 2004 roundup

Injured Petit to miss Slovenia match

PARIS (AP) -- Emmanuel Petit is set to miss Les Bleus' first game at the Stade de France since their World Cup disaster because of injury, but team captain Marcel Desailly is expected to be fit for the match.

Coach Jacques Santini on Thursday left Petit out of his squad for the Euro 2004 qualifier against Slovenia on Oct.12. The 20-man group will also face tiny Malta in Valletta in another qualifier for the tournament on Oct. 16.

Petit, a defensive midfielder who was key to French success at the 1998 World Cup and at Euro 2000, has played only two games with Chelsea this season because of a foot injury.

Chelsea teammate Desailly is recovering from a calf-muscle injury, but Santini said he expected the defender to be fit for the Slovenia game.

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez was due to make his return from injury at the Stade de France, with Gregory Coupet as the reserve goalkeeper.

Other big names missing from the squad due to injury were striker David Trezeguet, defender Bixente Lizarazu and attacking midfielder Robert Pires. They all missed France's last game, a 2-1 victory over Cyprus in Euro 2004 qualifying.

Chelsea defender William Gallas was called to the French squad for the first time, and Auxerre's Philippe Mexes received his second call-up after France's friendly against Tunisia in August.

Auxerre striker Djibril Cisse is also injured and the French attack is made up of Thierry Henry, Sidney Govou, Steve Marlet and Sylvain Wiltord.

Alongside Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele, the midfield includes inexperienced players Bruno Cheyrou, Olivier Dacourt and Olivier Kapo.

Les Bleus haven't played at the Stade de France since losing 2-1 to Belgium in a World Cup warm-up. They exited the World Cup in the first round without scoring a goal.

The France squad: Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez, Manchester United; Gregory Coupet, Lyon. Defenders: Jeremy Brechet, Lyon; Marcel Desailly, Chelsea FC; William Gallas, Chelsea FC; Philippe Mexes, Auxerre; Willy Sagnol, Bayern Munich; Mikael Silvestre, Manchester United; Lilian Thuram, Juventus Turin. Midfielders: Eric Carriere, Lyon; Bruno Cheyrou, Liverpool FC; Olivier Dacourt, Leeds United; Olivier Kapo, AJ Auxerre; Claude Makelele, Real Madrid; Patrick Vieira, Arsenal FC; Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid. Forwards: Sidney Govou, Lyon; Thierry Henry, Arsenal FC; Steve Marlet, Fulham FC; Sylvain Wiltord, Arsenal FC.

Romania to host Israel's Euro qualifier

BUCHAREST (Reuters) -- Romania will host Israel's European 2004 qualifier against Cyprus on October 16, a Romanian Soccer Federation (FRF) official said Thursday.

UEFA has ordered Israeli clubs and the national team to play home matches at neutral venues until the security situation improves.

FRF general secretary Adalbert Kassay told Reuters the game would be played at the 60,000 seater Lia Manoliu stadium.

"Israeli soccer officials will arrive in Bucharest on Monday to establish all the details linked to the organization of the match," he said.

The game will be Israel's first in group one qualifying. Cyprus has already lost to France in its opener.

Champions League representative Maccabi Haifa is playing its home group matches in Cyprus. UEFA Cup hopefuls Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv have opted for Sofia.

Vastic left out of Austria squad

VIENNA (Reuters) -- Striker Ivica Vastic will not be playing in Austria's Euro 2004 qualifiers this month after asking to be omitted, coach Hans Krankl said Thursday.

The former Sturm Graz captain, who moved to Japan earlier this year to play for Nagoya Grampus Eight, told Krankl he no longer wanted to play for Austria due to the stress of travel and time changes.

"There's no point calling up a player who himself has asked not to be considered," Krankl said.

The absence of the striker is a blow to Austria's chances of qualifying. They play Belarus away on October 12 and the Netherlands at home in Vienna on October 16.

Austrian Squad: Goalkeepers: Alex Manninger (without club), Roland Goriupp (Kaernten) Defenders: Michael Baur (Hamburg SV), Harald Cerny (1860 Munich), Ernst Dospel (Austria Vienna), Robert Golemac (Sturm Graz), Martin Hiden (Austria Vienna), Emanuel Pogatetz (Aarau), Paul Scharner (Austria Vienna) Midfielders: Rene Aufhauser (Graz AK), Thomas Floegel (Austria Vienna), Andreas Herzog (Rapid Vienna), Bozo Kovacevic (Pasching), Juergen Panis (Austria Vienna), Helmut Riegler (Pasching), Markus Schopp (Brescia), Michael Wagner (Austria Vienna), Markus Weissenberger (1860 Munich) Forwards: Muhammet Akagunduz (Ried), Roland Linz (Austria Vienna), Volkan Kahraman (Pasching), Roman Wallner (Rapid Vienna)

Spain squad for Euro 2004 qualifier vs. Northern Ireland

MADRID (Reuters) -- Spain coach Inaki Saez announced the following 21-man squad Thursday for the Euro 2004 group six qualifier against Northern Ireland on October 12 and a friendly against Paraguay the following week:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pedro Contreras (Malaga) Defenders: Jose Antonio Garica Calvo (Atletico Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Deportivo Coruna), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Raul Bravo (Real Madrid), Michel Salgado (Real Madrid), Carlos Marchena (Valencia) Midfielders: David Albelda (Valencia), Capi (Real Betis), Joaquin (Real Betis), Gaizka Mendieta (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Guti (Real Madrid), Ivan Helguera (Real Madrid), Ruben Baraja (Valencia), Vicente (Valencia)Forwards: Raul Tamudo (Espanyol), Raul (Real Madrid), Fernando Morientes (Real Madrid), Diego Tristan (Deportivo Coruna)

 

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Reuters contributed to this report.