Dykan doubtful for Euros with head injury
Reuters - Sunday 01 April 2012, 17:04
Ukraine and Spartak Moscow
goalkeeper Andriy Dykan is in danger of missing Euro 2012 after
suffering head and facial injuries in Saturday's 2-1 Russian
Premier League defeat by Zenit St Petersburg.
Spartak said Dykan had "broken multiple bones and suffered
concussion" after being struck in the face by Zenit striker
Alexander Kerzhakov's knee.
The 34-year-old decided to play on following the collision
early in the second half but 10 minutes later he asked to be
substituted.
"Andriy has been placed under the constant supervision of a
neurosurgeon and neuropathologist. He is undergoing further
tests to determine his condition," the club said on their
website.
Dykan told local media that he would probably require
surgery.
"I'm not feeling too bad at the moment. I still feel pain,"
he said. "It looks likely I will need surgery so it's difficult
to say how long my rehabilitation would take.
"Doctors told me it would take at least a month for the
bones in my jaw to heal."
Dykan's injury has deepened the goalkeeping crisis in the
Ukraine squad following the two-year suspension handed to
Shakhtar Donetsk's Olexandr Rybka for the use of a banned
diuretic.
Ukraine, who co-host June's European Championships with
Poland and face England, France and Sweden in Group D, may be
forced to turn to Bohdan Shust and Andriy Pyatov given that
Olexandr Shovkovskiy is their only fit and experienced keeper.