Injury forces Poland to drop Blaszczykowski from Euro 2008 squad

AP
06.06.2008 , aktualizacja: 06.06.2008 23:57
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Jakub Błaszczykowski Fot. Kuba Atys / AG Jakub Błaszczykowski
Poland midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski will miss the European Championship after aggravating a hamstring injury.
Team doctors examined the speedy 22-year-old midfielder after a Thursday morning training session and decided he would not be fit for the group stage of the tournament. Poland coach Leo Beenhakker has asked UEFA to allow him to replace Blaszczykowski with Hertha Berlin's Lukasz Piszczek. Blaszczykowski played a key role in Poland's qualifying for its first ever European Championship, and his absence would be a blow to the Polish attack. In a boost to its defense, however, Beenhakker said central defender Michal Zewlakow has fully recovered from his leg injury and will be ready for Poland's opener against Germany on Sunday.

Beenhakker said the defender "took part in the whole training, including the last part when we practiced a little bit restarts: free kicks, corners, stuff like that - so Michal is OK.".

Poland is in Group B at the tournament, along with Germany, Croatia and co-host Austria.

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