Matthaus calls up uncapped duo
Reuters - Monday 29 August 2011, 08:21
SOFIA - Bulgaria coach Lothar Matthaus
has named two uncapped players in a 21-man squad for the Euro
2012 qualifiers at home to England on September 2 and away to
Switzerland four days later.
Chernomorets Burgas midfielder Tsvetomir Tsonkov and Cherno
More striker Georgi Bozhilov could both make their debuts after
impressing in the Bulgarian league.
Matthaus will have to cope without central defender Apostol
Popov and midfielder Chavdar Yankov, both of whom are sidelined
with long-term injuries.
Sporting Lisbon striker Valeri Bojinov has once again been
left out with the 50-year-old German coach saying he needs to
play more games after recovering from injury.
Experienced Premier League duo Stilian Petrov and Martin Petrov
and Twente Enchede keeper Nikolay Mihaylov are back in the squad
after missing the friendly game against Belarus this month.
Crystal Palace defender Alexander Tunchev returned to the
squad for the first time since 2009 and there is also a place
for Steaua Bucharest defender Valentin Iliev who has played just
once in the last two years.
"England are one of the best teams in the world and it'll be
a difficult game for us but I hope it'll be a difficult one for
them too," Matthaus told reporters.
"They'll be under pressure as they're the favorites and
we're aiming to spring a surprise."
England top the standings, ahead of Montenegro on goal
difference, with 11 points from five games.
Switzerland and Bulgaria have five points while Wales are
bottom with no points.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Nikolay Mihaylov (Twente Enschede), Vladislav
Stoyanov (Sherif Tiraspol)
Defenders: Ivan Bandalovski (CSKA Sofia), Ivan Ivanov (Partizan
Belgarde), Valentin Iliev (Steaua Bucharest), Nikolay Bodurov
(Litex Lovech), Petar Zanev (Litex Lovech), Zhivko Milanov
(Vaslui), Alexander Tunchev (Crystal Palace), Kostadin Stoyanov
(CSKA Sofia)
Midfielders: Stilian Petrov (Aston Villa), Stanislav Manolev
(PSV Eindhoven), Blagoy Georgiev (Terek Grozny), Tsvetomir
Tsonkov (Chernomorets Burgas), Marquinhos (Anorthosis
Famagusta), Ivelin Popov (Gaziantepspor), Georgi Sarmov
(Kasimpasa)
Strikers: Spas Delev (CSKA Sofia), Martin Petrov (Bolton
Wanderers), Tsvetan Genkov (Wisla Krakow), Georgi Bozhilov
(Cherno More Varna).