TNT Sports
Makaay to miss qualifiers
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Published 01/09/2005 at 13:12 GMT+1
Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay pulled out of the Dutch training camp for this month's World Cup qualifiers with a knee injury on Thursday. Meanwhile, Chelsea winger Arjen Robben is doubtful for the first qualifier against Armenia on Saturday because of
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Makaay, who sustained the injury on Wednesday, will be treated at his club in Germany, the Dutch football association, KNVB, said.
He will contact the national team's technical and medical staff on Sunday.
The Dutch, top of European Group One from the Czech Republic by a point, play Armenia away on Saturday and host Andorra four days later in Eindhoven.
ROBBEN DOUBTFUL
Robben will have a fitness test on Friday on the ankle injury he sustained in a Premier League game against West Bromwich Albion last week.
"Arjen trained separately today but he did well and proved fit in controlled training without any ball contact," coach Marco van Basten told a news conference.
"Tomorrow after the group training we will take a decision about the coming match but we have some good alternatives."
Arsenal winger Robin van Persie could replace Robben on the left flank for his first start.
Defenders Tim de Cler and John Heitinga and midfielder Nigel De Jong were dropped by Van Basten, who reduced his squad from 23 to 19 men.
"We made this choice because the other players are better and also because we want two substitutes, one right and one left footed, for every line," the coach said.
The unbeaten Dutch are top European Group One a point ahead of the Czech Republic. They play Armenia away on Saturday and then host Andorra four days later in Eindhoven.
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