Uncapped three included by Serbia

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BELGRADE, Serbia -- Serbia coach Javier Clemente has included a majority of young players including three debutants in his 22-man squad for Euro 2008 qualifiers against Kazakhstan on March 24 and Portugal on March 28.

The three new arrivals are right-back Antonio Rukavina, midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic and under-21 forward Stefan Babovic.

"There aren't too many top quality players in Serbia and we have to pick the best to add vigor to the national team as well as keep it competitive," said Clemente.

"It's always good to have several options in each position and see the players battling to get into the first 11. We have gradually brought in young players to strengthen the backbone of the more experienced group," he said.

"On a bumpy pitch like the one in Almaty, it's hard to string passes together and create too many scoring chances so it will be vital for us to come away with three points from there," he added.

"That would leave us facing group favorites Portugal under no pressure on our own turf, where the passionate home crowd can lift us against most teams."

Captain Dejan Stankovic will miss the Kazakhstan match through suspension and either talented playmaker Milos Krasic or Bosko Jankovic could replace him to add bite up front.

Finland lead group A with 11 points from five matches, ahead of Serbia who have 10 from four and Poland on 10 points from five matches.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Vladimir Stojkovic (Vitesse Arnhem), Vlada Avramov (Treviso).

Defenders: Marjan Markovic (Dynamo Kiev), Antonio Rukavina (Partizan Belgrade), Mladen Krstajic (Schalke), Ivica Dragutinovic (Sevilla), Dusko Tosic (Sochaux), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), Milan Stepanov (Trabzonspor).

Midfield: Igor Duljaj (Shakhtar Donetsk), Nenad Kovacevic (Lens), Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan), Ivan Ergic (Basle), Aleksandar Trisovic (Red Star Belgrade), Ognjen Koroman (Red Star Belgrade), Bosko Jankovic (Mallorca), Zdravko Kuzmanovic (Fiorentina), Stefan Babovic (OFK Belgrade), Milos Krasic (CSKA Moscow).

Strikers: Marko Pantelic (Hertha Berlin), Nikola Zigic (Racing Santander), Danko Lazovic (Vitesse Arnhem).

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