Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 810 Tue. September 05, 2006  
   
Sports


Portugal without Martins, Meira


Fernando Meira and Carlos Martins will miss Portugal's first Euro 2008 championship qualifier against Finland in Helsinki on Wednesday because of leg muscle injuries.

Stuttgart defender Meira, 28, injured his right calf muscle on Thursday, causing him to miss Portugal's 4-2 friendly loss to Denmark one day later at Brondby.

The 24-year-old Sporting Lisbon midfielder Martins injured his left thigh muscle on Sunday. He earned his first international cap on Friday against Denmark, coming on as a substitute in the final minutes of the first half.

"They won't be able to play on Wednesday," team doctor Henrique Jones told the Lusa news agency at the end of the squad's final training session in Denmark before the team heads to Finland.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari did not replace the two players.