Injured Sorensen out of Euro 2012
Reuters - Tuesday 29 May 2012, 10:30
Denmark goalkeeper Thomas
Sorensen will miss Euro 2012 because of a back injury sustained
in a friendly against Brazil on Saturday, the Danish FA said in
a statement on Tuesday.
He will be replaced in the squad by Kasper Schmeichel, whose
father Peter played a key role when Denmark won the European
Championships in 1992.
Coach Morten Olsen said he could not afford to bring a
goalkeeper carrying an injury to the tournament, where Denmark
will face Netherlands, Germany and Portugal in the group stage.
"It's a tough decision I had to make, and it's a serious
blow for us sportingly," Olsen said, adding that the uncapped
Schmeichel will be adequate backup for Stephan Andersen and
Anders Lindegaard.
"He [Schmeichel] has worked very seriously on his
development as a goalkeeper, and we have followed him closely
during the season at Leicester."
Sorensen was substituted in the first half of the 3-1 defeat
by Brazil and was replaced by Andersen who is likely to start in
Denmark's Group B opener against Netherlands on June 9.
Olsen, who named a preliminary squad on May 16, gave the
final outfield places to Groningen striker Niclas Pedersen and
19-year-old central defender Jores Okore from new Danish
champions FC Nordsjaelland.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Stephan Andersen (Evian Thonon Gaillard),
Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United), Kasper Schmeichel
(Leicester City).
Defenders: Lars Jacobsen (FC Copenhagen), Simon Poulsen (AZ
Alkmaar), Daniel Wass (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Simon Kjaer (AS
Roma), Daniel Agger (Liverpool), Andreas Bjelland (FC
Nordsjaelland), Jores Okore (FC Nordsjaelland).
Midfielders: William Kvist (VfB Stuttgart), Christian
Poulsen (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Niki Zimling (Club Bruges),
Jakob Poulsen (Midtjylland), Lasse Schone (NEC Nijmegen), Tobias
Mikkelsen (FC Nordsjaelland), Michael Krohn-Dehli (Brondby),
Thomas Kahlenberg (Evian Thonon Gaillard), Michael Silberbauer
(Young Boys).
Forwards: Christian Eriksen (Ajax Amsterdam), Niclas
Pedersen (FC Groningen), Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal), Dennis
Rommedahl (Brondby).