BEIJING, June 14 -- Captain Andriy Shevchenko did not appear troubled by his knee injury at training Monday but it remained unclear whether he would be fit for Ukraine’s World Cup opener against Spain today.
The 2004 European footballer of the year took part in stretching, heading and jogging during the first half hour of training at the sun-drenched Luftschiffstadion in Potsdam before the session was closed to reporters.
Strapping just below his left knee he had appeared to be wearing during training Sunday was absent.
“If he’s not wearing a bandage then that’s good news for us,” team spokesman Igor Miroshnichenko told reporters.
“I don’t know whether he will play,” he added. ‘That’s a decision for the head coach and he won’t decide until the day of the match.”
Coach Oleg Blokhin may delay a decision on whether his leading striker plays in today’s game until as late as one hour before kickoff, Miroshnichenko said Sunday.
Shevchenko had cast doubt on his involvement in the game with Spain after training Saturday but suggested he would be fully fit for the other Group H matches against Saudi Arabia on June 19 and Tunisia four days later.
Chelsea’s new signing Shevchenko picked up the injury playing for his former club AC Milan.
He came on to score as a second-half substitute in last week’s 3-0 warmup victory over Luxembourg.(SD-Agencies)
CAPTAIN Andriy Shevchenko did not appear troubled by his knee injury at training Monday but it remained unclear whether he would be fit for Ukraine’s World Cup opener against Spain today.
The 2004 European footballer of the year took part in stretching, heading and jogging during the first half hour of training at the sun-drenched Luftschiffstadion in Potsdam before the session was closed to reporters.
Strapping just below his left knee he had appeared to be wearing during training Sunday was absent.
“If he's not wearing a bandage then that's good news for us,” team spokesman Igor Miroshnichenko told reporters.
“I don't know whether he will play,” he added. ‘That's a decision for the head coach and he won't decide until the day of the match.”
Coach Oleg Blokhin may delay a decision on whether his leading striker plays in today's game until as late as one hour before kickoff, Miroshnichenko said Sunday.
Shevchenko had cast doubt on his involvement in the game with Spain after training Saturday but suggested he would be fully fit for the other Group H matches against Saudi Arabia on June 19 and Tunisia four days later.
Chelsea's new signing Shevchenko picked up the injury playing for his former club AC Milan.
He came on to score as a second-half substitute in last week's 3-0 warmup victory over Luxembourg.
(Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)
