Ibrahimovic heads casualty list

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been forced to withdraw from the Sweden squad for their forthcoming UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying matches.

Groin injury
The AFC Ajax striker Ibrahimovic will not be available for the Group 4 games against San Marino and Poland after medical tests revealed he was suffering from a damaged groin muscle. Swedish team doctor Magnus Forssblad confirmed the bad news, saying: "We found a rupture of the groin and he must rest for four to six weeks." Joint Sweden coaches Lars Lagerbäck and Tommy Söderberg have yet to name a replacement for the young forward.

Danish troubles
Meanwhile, Sweden's neighbours Denmark also have injury worries after strikers Jon Dahl Tomasson and Peter Løvenkrands and midfield players Christian Poulsen and Jan Michaelsen were all forced to withdraw from the squad to face Norway and Luxembourg in Group 2. In their place, coach Morten Olsen has called up untried forwards Kaspar Dalgas from Brøndby IF and Morten Skoubo from VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, while FC København midfield player Peter Nielsen has also joined the squad.

Bulgarian woe
As Bulgaria try to maintain their unbeaten record at the top of Group 8, they have been hit with the news that defender Zlatomir Zagorcic could become the eighth first-team regular to be forced out of Plamen Markov's squad. Todor Yanchev has already been called up to replace the injured Gueorgui Peev for the games against Belgium and Andorra, but the coach may now have to replace Serbian-born Zagorcic who is suffering from a thigh injury.

Scotland struggling
With an all-important tie against the side he led to glory at the 1996 UEFA European Championship, Scotland manager Berti Vogts has injury problems too. Having already lost Rangers FC midfield player Barry Ferguson for the Group 5 game against Germany - and replaced him with Dundee FC's Gavin Rae - Vogts may be forced to find a replacement for forward Don Hutchison, who has an ankle injury. "He is maybe only 50/50 and I am a coach, not a gambler," said Vogts.

Goalkeepers delighted
There was good news for the 17-year-old PFC CSKA Moskva goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev after Russia called on him for the Group 10 game against Switzerland in Basel. Another goalkeeper in Group 9, Mikko Kaven, is now in the Finland fold to face Serbia and Montenegro and Italy following Antti Niemi's withdrawal.

Hungarian misery
However, the news was not so good for Hungary coach Imre Gellei as Ferencvárosi TC striker Attila Tököli withdrew from his squad for the Group 4 games against Latvia and San Marino. Tököli was shaken as Ferencváros lost out on the title on the final day of the Hungarian season, saying: "I told the coach I'm so disappointed after what happened on and off the pitch, that I could not be much use for the team." Újpesti TE's Tibor Tokody will take his place.