Ottmar Hitzfeld called up FC Basel striker Eren Derdiyok into his squad on Monday. October 7th, 2008
Ottmar Hitzfeld called up FC Basel striker Eren Derdiyok into his squad on Monday. For Switzerland’s crucial World Cup qualifying matches against Latvia and Greece.
The 20-year-old Derdiyok replaces his Basel teammate Marco Streller who is still recovering from a muscle injury that has kept him out of the national team since the first game of the European Championship in June.
Derdiyok was originally selected for the Under-21 squad which faces Spain in a two-legged European Under-21 Championship playoff tie.
Also on Monday, Hertha Berlin defender Steve von Bergen pulled out of the squad so that he can be treated in Germany for a sciatic nerve problem. Hitzfeld will not call up a replacement to his 20-man roster which hosts Latvia at St. Gallen on Saturday and travels to face Greece in Athens on Oct. 15.
Switzerland is fifth in Group Two of European qualifying with one point from its first two games, which included a 2-1 loss at home to Luxembourg. The group also includes Israel and Moldova.