Czechs without four stars for Dutch tie

The Star Online
Tuesday September 7, 2004

PRAGUE: The Czech Republic will take on Holland in their Group One
European Zone World Cup qualifying opener without four first-choice
midfielders, after Karel Poborsky joined captain Pavel Nedved, Vladimir
Smicer and Tomas Galasek on the sidelines due to a lower back injury.

The 32-year-old Poborsky, the country’s most capped player with 100
appearances for the national team, suffered the injury last Monday
when lifting his daughter and has been ruled out of tomorrow’s game
in Amsterdam.

Nedved, of Juventus, is focusing on club duties, while Galasek and
Smicer are unavailable due to knee injuries, leaving only Borussia
Dortmund’s Tomas Rosicky from the Czech Republic’s Euro 2004
first-choice midfield.

The Czechs have been drawn in Group 1 with Finland, Armenia, Macedonia,
Romania and Andorra and Holland. – AP