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Soccer: Robben Doubtful For Armenia Qualifier

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  • Soccer: Robben Doubtful For Armenia Qualifier

    ROBBEN DOUBTFUL FOR ARMENIA QUALIFIER

    Supersport, South Africa
    Sept 1 2005

    Chelsea winger Arjen Robben is doubtful for the Netherlands' World
    Cup qualifier against Armenia on Saturday with an ankle problem.

    The Dutch are already without striker Roy Makaay, who left their
    training camp in Noordwijk earlier on Thursday because of a knee
    injury.

    Maakay will return to his club, Bayern Munich, for treatment and is
    due to contact the Dutch team's technical and medical staff on Sunday
    to decide whether he will play against Andorra next week.

    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.

    Squad:

    Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Henk Timmer
    (AZ Alkmaar)

    Defenders: Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Jan Kromkamp
    (Villareal), Barry Opdam (AZ Alkmaar), Khalid Boulahrouz (HSV Hamburg),
    Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven), Theo Lucius (PSV Eindhoven)

    Midfielders: Hedwiges Maduro (Ajax Amsterdam), Wesley Sneijder
    (Ajax Amsterdam), Denny Landzaat (AZ Alkmaar), Rafael van der Vaart
    (Hamburg SV), Phillip Cocu (PSV Eindhoven)

    Forwards: Ryan Babel (Ajax Amsterdam), Robin van Persie (Arsenal),
    Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Dirk Kuyt (Feyenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooy
    (Manchester United), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (PSV Eindhoven)
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