Blokhin sends for Yatsenko
31 May 2006 - 10:24:21
Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin has called FK Kharkiv defender Olexandr Yatsenko into his World Cup squad as a replacement for the injured Serhiy Fedorov.
The Dynamo Kyiv defender was forced to withdraw when doctors advised him to rest for three months to allow a persistent hip problem to heal.
Yatsenko, 21, is currently on duty with Ukraine's Under-21 team at the European Championship and may not be able to link up with the senior squad until next week.
Ukraine won their group in Portugal and now face a semi-final against Serbia & Montenegro on Thursday, with the prize for the victors a final against France or the Netherlands on Sunday.
Meanwhile, captain Andriy Shevchenko has been given the go-ahead to resume training after making progress in his recovery from a knee injury.
However, the AC Milan striker's preparations for the World Cup look set to be interrupted after he was given permission to discuss the terms of a big-money move to Chelsea.