Norway turn to teenager Skjelbred

Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Norway coach Åge Hareide will have to do without Vålerenga IF midfielder Christian Grindheim for Wednesday's UEFA EURO 2008™ Group C qualifier against Turkey in Frankfurt. The 23-year-old has been struck down by illness and Hareide has replaced him with Rosenborg BK's 19-year-old Per Ciljan Skjelbred.
Ukraine have recalled FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk goalkeeper Maxym Startsev for their Group B home game against Lithuania following 18 months in the international wilderness. The 27-year-old, who missed out on Ukraine's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad after undergoing groin surgery, is the third keeper in Oleh Blokhin's selection alongside Olexandr Shovkovskiy and Andriy Pyatov.
Spain are determined to build on their weekend win against Denmark when they welcome Iceland to Mallorca on Wednesday night in qualifying Group F. "We are all confident that on a personal level we can give more," midfielder David Albelda said, following Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Danes. Defender Carles Puyol, who missed that match through suspension, added: "This team has quality and some great players, so we have to work harder and pick up results."
Luxembourg forward Aurelien Joachim will miss the Group G trip to Romania after succumbing to an ankle injury. The 20-year-old, who plays for TSV Alemannia Aachen's reserve team, was a starter in Luxembourg's first three qualifiers but requires surgery, having already been sidelined for the weekend's 2-1 defeat by Belarus.
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