Oper worry overshadows Estonia

Andres Oper's fitness was in doubt as coach Jelle Goes named a 23-man squad for Estonia's opening UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier against F.Y.R. Macedonia.

Oper concerns
The 28-year-old Oper, who plays for Dutch side Roda JC, pulled a thigh muscle in a pre-season friendly game in a recurrence of the injury that saw him miss the end of the 2005/06 campaign in the Netherlands. Goes hoped he would recover in time to become the sixth Estonian player to win 100 caps, having scored 30 international goals in 99 appearances to date.

Teever recalled
With regulars Teet Allas, Urmas Rooba, Sander Post, Erko Saviauk, Maksim Smirnov, Liivo Leetma and Taavi Rähn all injured, Goes has recalled Östers IF forward Ingemar Teever after dropping him in May. England, Russia, Croatia, Israel and Andorra complete the lineup for qualifying Group E.

Estonia squad
Goalkeepers: Mart Poom (Arsenal FC), Artur Kotenko (FC Levadia Tallinn).

Defenders: Raio Piiroja (Fredrikstad FK), Andrei Stepanov (FC Torpedo Moskva), Ragnar Klavan (Heracles Almelo), Enar Jääger (FC Torpedo Moskva), Dmitri Kruglov (Kuban Krasnodar), Alo Bärengrub (FC Flora Tallinn), Tihhon Šišov (FC Levadia Tallinn).

Midfielders: Martin Reim (FC Flora Tallinn), Joel Lindpere (FC Flora Tallinn), Aleksandr Dmitrijev (FC Levadia Tallinn), Kert Haavistu (FC TVMK Tallinn), Ott Reinumäe (FC Flora Tallinn), Andrei Sidorenkov (FC Flora Tallinn), Konstantin Vassiljev (FC Levadia Tallinn).

Forwards: Kristen Viikmäe (Gefle IF), Andres Oper (Roda JC), Ingemar Teever (Östers IF Växjö), Sergei Terehhov (FC Shinnik Yaroslavl), Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (FC Flora Tallinn), Tarmo Neemelo (FC TVMK Tallinn), Vladislav Gussev (FC TVMK Tallinn).