World Cup latest: Austria trio out
VIENNA, Austria -- Three Austrian players have pulled out of the squad with injury or illness ahead of the World Cup Group Six qualifier against Northern Ireland.
Coach Hans Krankl may even lose two more players before the match in Belfast on Wednesday night.
Those definitely out are striker Mario Haas, who left the squad on Monday with a thigh strain, defender Joachim Standfest (stomach bug) and defender Anton Ehmann (elbow injury).
Krankl, whose side lost 3-1 at home to Poland on Saturday, will decide closer to kickoff whether midfielders Rene Aufhauser and Andreas Ivanschitz are fit to play.
Austria, who have won once, drawn once and lost once in their three games, need a win to keep alive their challenge for a place in the finals for the first time since 1998.
But they have lost all three matches they have played in Belfast, losing 3-1 there in 1983, 2-1 in 1991 and 5-3 nine years ago.
Northern Ireland desperately need another win over the Austrians to keep their faint hopes of qualifying for the finals alive after two draws and a defeat in their opening three matches. They played out a scrappy 0-0 draw with Azerbaijan on Saturday.
England lead the group with seven points from their three matches, followed by Poland (6), Austria (4), Wales, Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland, all on two.
Ferguson struggling
Scotland captain Barry Ferguson and defender Russell Anderson missed training on Monday and are struggling to be fit for the World Cup qualifier in Moldova.
Ferguson has a hamstring injury and Anderson an ankle problem. The pair are only rated 50-50 to play in Wednesday's Group Five match.
Coach Berti Vogts has added Wigan striker Lee McCulloch and Aberdeen midfielder Scott Severin to a squad ravaged by injury and suspension.
Christian Dailly, Jackie McNamara, Steven Pressley, Nigel Quashie and Malcolm Mackay are injured, while strikers James McFadden and Paul Dickov are both suspended for the game.
McFadden was sent off during Scotland's 1-0 loss to Norway last Saturday and Dickov picked up a second consecutive caution in the game.
Vogts will be suspended from the technical area against Moldova after being sent to the stand for arguing with the referee on Saturday.
The defeat was Scotland's first at home in a World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park in 19 years and left them second bottom in the group with one point.
Scottish Football Association president John McBeth said Vogts would not be sacked if Scotland lost to bottom-placed Moldova.
Slovenia beat Italy 1-0 last Saturday to lead the standings on seven points. The Italians are second a point behind.
Kishishev ruled out
Injured Charlton Athletic defender Radostin Kishishev has pulled out of Bulgaria's squad for Wednesday's World Cup Group Eight qualifier at home to Malta.
"I released Kishishev from our training camp this morning and he will leave for England," said Bulgaria coach Hristo Stoichkov .
"The injury is not serious but I can not risk the player's health. I have enough defenders in the squad and his absence will not affect my side."
Stoichkov says Bulgaria, who battled back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with group leaders Croatia on Saturday, expect a tough encounter against Malta, who have taken one point from their opening two games.
"This will be our hardest qualifier this year. I want my lads to concentrate and show Malta from the very first minute that they do not have any chance," Stoichkov added.
Morrison surgery
Ireland forward Clinton Morrison will miss Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands after damaging a knee cartilage against France, manager Brian Kerr has revealed.
"He will return to Birmingham City immediately for an operation on the injury," Kerr said in a statement.
"I could hear a pop and a click in my knee and I just went down. I tried to get up and carry on but the pain was relentless and I had to come off," said Morrison.
Defender Richard Dunne has already been ruled out of the match with a calf muscle injury.
The remainder of the squad were all available for selection after the 0-0 draw in Paris on Saturday.
Latvia trio return
Latvia will be bolstered by the return of three regulars for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Estonia in Riga.
Defender Mihails Zemlinskis and midfielder Andrejs Rubins will return after serving one-game suspensions for accumulated yellow cards in Latvia's first two qualifiers.
The team also is expecting the return of central defender Igors Stepanovs, who missed Latvia's 4-1 defeat by Slovakia on Saturday due to a leg injury.
However, defender Olegs Blagdonodezdins and midfielder Andrejs Rubins, who have leg injuries, are not expected to play.
