Piiroja progress wrecked by injury
Friday, June 13, 2003
Article summary
A broken toe will deprive Vålerenga Fotball of their Estonian defender Raio Piiroja.
Article body
'No worries'
Piiroja suffered the injury during the second half of Wednesday's UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying defeat by Croatia. He underwent surgery the next day and had a metal rod fixed into the digit. "I felt a pain with about half an hour to go, but the game was hotting up and I didn't have time to worry about it," the 23-year-old said.
New setback
Piiroja has made an impressive start to the season in the Tippeliga, where he is on loan at Vålerenga from FC Flora of Tallinn. But the injury is another setback for the centre-half, who only recently recovered from an ankle problem.
'Fair share of injuries'
"I was told to be careful and now I am going back [to Vålerenga] having had an operation," he said. "I hope I have had my share of injuries over the past six months and that there are better days ahead."
