Ukraine call on rookie keepers
Co-hosts short on shot-stoppers; Shevchenko makes the gradeLast Updated: May 8, 2012 6:16pm
Co-hosts Ukraine have named a 26-man preliminary squad for Euro 2012, with two uncapped goalkeepers included within their ranks.
Uncapped Maxym Koval and Oleksandr Bandura have been called upon by coach Oleg Blokhin as he attempts to handle a keeping crisis.
Experienced shot-stoppers Olexandr Shovkovskiy and Andriy Dykana will miss this summer's European Championship through injury, while Oleksandr Rybka has been suspended for using a banned a substance.
Shakhtar Donetsk's Andriy Pyatov, who has 24 caps to his name, is now considered to the Ukraine's first choice, with 36-year Oleksandr Goryainov having made just one appearance for his country back in 2010.
Away from the keeping department, Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk will be expected to hold things together in midfield, while Andriy Shevchenko is charged with leading the attacking line.
The former AC Milan and Chelsea striker, who is now back on the books of Dynamo Kiev, has been selected despite lingering concerns over his fitness and will slip into international retirement at the end of the tournament.
Ukraine's 26-man preliminary squad for Euro 2012:Goalkeepers: Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksandr Goryainov (Metalist Kharkiv), Maxym Koval (Dynamo Kiev), Oleksandr Bandura (Metalurg Donetsk).
Defenders: Oleksandr Kucher (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yevhen Khacheridi (Dynamo Kiev), Taras Mikhalik (Dynamo Kiev), Vitaliy Mandzyuk (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Yevhen Selin (Vorskla), Bohdan Butko (Illychivets).
Midfielders: Olexandr Aliyev (Dynamo Kiev), Denys Garmash (Dynamo Kiev), Oleh Gusev (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipro), Serhiy Nazarenko (Tavriya), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Artem Milevskiy (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev), Marco Devic (Metalist Kharkiv), Andriy Voronin (Dynamo Moscow), Yevhen Seleznyov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk).
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7740702/Ukraine-call-on-rookie-keepers
