Duo make Wales return
Monday, January 27, 2003
Article summary
Matthew Jones and John Oster have been recalled to Wales' squad to face Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Article body
Year out
The Leicester City FC player Jones, a highly-rated 22-year-old who has eleven caps, has just returned to action after a year out with knee ligament damage. Sunderland AFC winger Oster, capped four times previously, is also fit again following a knee injury. Hughes said: "Both lads have recovered from long-term injuries and this is a chance to get them back into the squad."
Azerbaijan next
Hughes is using the match as a warm-up for the 2004 UEFA European Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan in Cardiff on 29 March. Wales have made a superb start to their qualifying campaign for next year's finals, beating Finland, Italy and Azerbaijan to top Group 9 with nine points out of nine. In contrast, the Bosnians have lost both their matches in Group 2.
On the mend
Hughes has named a squad of 28 because several of his players are recovering from injuries, including Gary Speed, Danny Gabbidon, Rhys Weston, Paul Trollope, Nathan Blake and Paul Evans.
Wales squad
Jones, Crossley, Ward, Coyne, Melville, Symons, Page, Delaney, Barnard, Gabbidon, Weston, Speed, Pembridge, Savage, Davies, Jones, Robinson, Johnson, Trollope, Oster, Evans, Koumas, Giggs, Hartson, Blake, Bellamy, Taylor, Earnshaw.
