Beckham-mania

England defense depleted for Slovakia qualifier

BISHAM ABBEY, England (Reuters) -- England look set to field Middlesbrough pair Ugo Ehiogu and Gareth Southgate at the heart of their defense for Saturday's European championship qualifier against Slovakia after Sol Campbell was ruled out of the game through illness.

A Football Association spokesman said on Wednesday that Arsenal defender Campbell had gastroenteritis and would not travel to Bratislava for England's opening group seven encounter.

Campbell's withdrawal follows the loss of Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand, who has a knee injury, and deprives coach Sven-Goran Eriksson of both his first-choice central defenders.

Ehiogu, who has won four previous England caps, was named in the original squad because of Ferdinand's injury, and he now looks likely to play alongside his more experienced club mate Southgate, although Eriksson also has the option of Leeds United's Jonathan Woodgate.

Ehiogu and Southgate have been in excellent form in Middlesbrough's bright start to the season and 30-year-old Ehiogu admitted he was surprised at how he was suddenly back in favour after being overlooked for recent internationals.

Big sign

"I didn't contemplate coming into this squad," he told reporters. "I'm delighted to get an opportunity if there is one there. We will have to wait and see.

"It has been difficult but Mr Eriksson picks people who are in form regardless of what club you are at. For people on the fringe that is a big sign. It's nice to be able to get the opportunity."

Ehiogu, whose hopes are aided by the fact that Middlesbrough coach Steve McClaren is one of Eriksson's assistants, said his partnership with Southgate, alongside whom he also played at Aston Villa, had just clicked.

"A lot of it is instinctive," he said. "We seem to complement each other really well. Possibly I tend to talk a lot more. We seem to read each other's flicks, and knockdowns.

"Positionally we've got each other right. That's a massive help if you've got the communication there between the center halves."

Southgate, who has 50 caps, agreed and said they were a better pairing now than during their Villa days.

"We both appreciate each other's game now. Physically I'm a slightly smaller center half than most defenders at this level. Ugo has the size that puts the wind up other players."

Despite the likelihood of Ehiogu and Southgate playing against Slovakia, Campbell could yet return for the following Wednesday's qualifier against Macedonia in Southampton.

"When we get back [from Slovakia on Sunday] Sven will contact the doctor and see if he's any better and whether there's any chance of him being fit," said the FA spokesman.

England have no other injury worries after Wednesday's training session, with captain David Beckham and Arsenal defender Ashley Cole, who missed the workout, expected to be fit enough to travel to Slovakia on Thursday.

Campbell ruled out for England

LONDON (AP) -- Sol Campbell was forced to pull out of England's squad with a stomach illness Wednesday, leaving the team without its top two central defenders for the Euro 2004 qualifier against Slovakia.

The Arsenal star is suffering from gastroenteritis and will not make the trip for Saturday's game in Bratislava, the Football Association said.

"Sol is confined to bed under doctor's instructions and has not eaten anything for the past two days," FA spokesman Paul Newman said.

England was already without Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand, who is due to undergo knee surgery.

Newman said Campbell's condition would be reassessed Sunday following the squad's return from Slovakia. He could then be available for next Wedesday's qualifier against Macedonia at Southampton.

With Ferdinand and Campbell out, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson could turn to the Middlesbrough center-back pairing of Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu. Leeds United's Jonathan Woodgate could also be considered for a start.

The last time England played without Campbell and Ferdinand, Soutgate and Martin Keown lined up in central defense and England beat Paraguay 4-0 in a friendly last April.

Meanwhile, England captain David Beckham missed training Wednesday but is still expected to start against Slovakia.

The Manchester United midfielder strained his calf during Monday night's 3-0 win over Everton at Old Trafford.

Beckham, who described the injury as minor, sat out training as a precautionary measure and should be in the lineup in Bratislava.

Fellow Man Utd midfielder Paul Scholes, who scored twice against Everton, underwent a scan on his ankle Tuesday but took part in training.

Beckham-mania sweeping Slovakia ahead of qualifier

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) -- The national soccer stadium hasn't been sold out for more than a decade. But when David Beckham & co. visit Bratislava on Saturday, the 27,000 capacity venue will be packed to the last seat.

Slovakia's Euro 2004 qualifier against England has generated massive interest in this small East-European country where league games rarely attract more than 5,000 people and which has never made it to the European championships or the World Cup since it gained independence in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia.

"For Slovak soccer, it is the match of a decade," said Karolina Ducka, the spokeswoman of the Slovak Football Association, adding that the result wasn't important for the Slovak team as long as it played "attractive soccer."

With stars such as Manchester United's Beckham and Liverpool's Michael Owen in town, scalpers will sell match tickets for up to 3,000 koruna (US$70) -- 15 times the regular price, a rare occurrence in a country where the average monthly salary is 13,329 koruna (US$312).

Some 500 policemen will be on duty at the stadium, while hundreds will be patrolling the streets of the Slovak capital in order to prevent English supporters -- about 4,000 fans are expected to travel to Bratislava from Britain -- clashing with the home crowd.

More than 1,200 convicted English hooligans have been banned from making the trip and police will be monitoring the borders with the neighboring Czech Republic and Austria.

England will be looking for a successful start to its qualifying campaign, while Slovakia is hoping to make amends for a 3-0 loss to Turkey in its Group 7 opener last month.

The Slovaks will be relying on their strikeforce that includes Middlesborough forward Szilard Nemeth, who has scored 11 goals in 32 appearances for his country.

Nemeth wasn't selected to play against Turkey because of a lack of match fitness but has enjoyed fine form recently and is expected to be Slovakia's biggest threat up front.

"Playing against England is a big motivation for us," he said. "If we lose, our Euro 2004 qualifying campaign is finished."

Midfielder Vladimir Janocko, who plays his club soccer for Austria Vienna, said the sold-out stadium would be a major boost for the Slovak squad.

"The English are used to a full house, they don't play at empty stadiums," he said. "So a full stadium can be an advantage for us, a certain kind of doping."

Coach Ladislav Jurkemik, a former successful Czechoslovakia international, has made several changes to his lineup after losing at Turkey, leaving out seasoned players such as West Ham's Vladimir Labant and calling up several youngsters from the local league who he said would bring a "more fighting spirit" to the team.

Slovaks add Petras to squad

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) -- Slovakia trainer Ladislav Jurkemik added Sparta Praha defender Martin Petras to his squad on Wednesday for the group seven European Championship qualifier against England on Saturday.

"He has played and is playing well...I needed to complete the defense and Petras is a good solution," Jurkemik was quoted as saying by news agency CTK.

Petras, who last played for the Slovak side in their home 4-1 win over Uzbekistan in May, has just recovered from a broken bone in his hand.

Meanwhile, England received a setback on Wednesday with center back Sol Campbell pulling out of the squad because of stomach problems.

English captain David Beckham and defender Ashley Cole also missed training on Wednesday due to niggling injuries but are expected to be fit for the match. England are due to fly to Bratislava on Thursday.

Revised squad:

Goalkeepers: Miroslav Konig (FC Zurich), Juraj Bucek (Xanthi)

Defenders: Peter Hlinka (SW Bregenz), Marian Cisovsky (Inter Bratislava), Peter Dzurik (Slovan Bratislava), Maros Klimpl (Viktoria Zizkov), Marian Zeman (Vitesse Arnhem), Vladimir Leitner (FK Teplice), Martin Petras (Sparta Praha).

Midfielders: Karol Kisel (Bohemians Prague), Rastislav Michalik (Sparta Prague), Vladimir Janocko (Austria Vienna), Marek Mintal (MSK Zilina), Attila Pinte (Panionios), Miroslav Karhan (VfL Wolfsburg).

Forwards: Jozef Kozlej (Olympiakos Nicosia), Lubos Reiter (Sigma Olomouc), Robert Vittek (Slovan Bratislava), Szilard Nemeth (Middlesbrough).

 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.