Skrypnyk to sit out six months
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Article summary
Ukraine defender Viktor Skrypnyk has been ruled out until November with an inflamed pelvis.
Article body
Four games missed
Skrypnyk, scorer of two goals in 24 games for his country, has missed Ukraine's four Group 6 matches to date through injury. The 33-year-old sat out the opening 2-2 draw in Armenia but was included in the squads to face Greece and Northern Ireland before injury struck.
Groin surgery
He was then hopeful of playing against Spain on 29 March, but groin surgery prevented him from featuring in the 2-2 draw. Coach Leonid Buriak will now be denied the player's services for the June fixtures against Armenia at home and Greece away. Skrypnyk will also struggle to be fit for the games against Northern Ireland and Spain on 6 and 10 September.
UEFA Cup chase
Bremen will also rue the loss of Skrypnyk, who has played 25 Bundesliga matches this season. "I spoke to manager Klaus Allofs and coach Thomas Schaaf on Monday and they accepted that I face a long absence," said the Ukrainian. With three games remaining, Bremen are in seventh place, three points behind Hamburger SV who occupy the final qualifying slot for the 2003/04 UEFA Cup.
