Injury woe for Wales
Sunday, August 17, 2003
Article summary
Wales will miss John Hartson and Andy Melville for the Group 9 match against Serbia and Montenegro.
Article body
Group leaders
Mark Hughes's team visit the FK Crvena Zvezda stadium with a two-point lead over Italy at the top of Group 9 - and this is their game in hand on the Azzurri.
Injury blow
Celtic FC striker Hartson, who is likely to be replaced in the starting lineup by Nathan Blake of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, needs more time to recover from a calf injury. Melville, the experienced Fulham FC centre-back, has been ruled out with a damaged foot.
No hope
Of Hartson, Hughes said: "I spoke to John and from my point of view it is too soon for him to come back. He wanted to come down to Wales, but it's probably better he stays in Scotland to get himself fit for our future matches."
Wales squad
Coyne, Crossley, Jones, Ward, Barnard, Bellamy, Blake, Davies, Delaney, Earnshaw, Gabbidon, Giggs, Johnson, Koumas, Oster, Page, Pembridge, Robinson, Savage, Speed, Symons, Taylor, Trollope, Weston, Williams.
