HUNTELAAR GETS NOD OVER MAKAAY

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar looks increasingly likely to fire his way into the Holland World Cup squad after he pipped Roy Makaay to a place in the 33-man preliminary group announced today.

Holland coach Marco van Basten must trim 10 men from the party when his eventual 23 players for the World Cup are named.

Freescoring striker Huntelaar, who has been called into the Dutch squad before but has yet to play for the Oranje, has been included after a prolific season which has seen him net more than 40 goals in all competitions for Heerenveen and current club Ajax.

Van Basten had already indicated that the 22-year-old Huntelaar could stake a late claim for a berth and it is notable that Bayern Munich forward Makaay has been omitted.

Feyenoord custodian Patrick Lodewijks is one of four goalkeepers named and will compete against Manchester United's Edwin van der Sar, Henk Timmer and Maarten Stekelenburgfor what is likely to be three berths in the final squad.

Liverpool defender Jan Kromkamp also gets the nod for Holland who have been drawn with Argentina, the Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro in Group C, considered by many to be the competition's "Group of Death".

Aston Villa defender Wilfred Bouma, midfielders George Boateng (Middlesbrough), Edgar Davids (Tottenham) and Arjen Robben (Chelsea), and strikers Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) and Robin van Persie (Arsenal) are also in the squad.

11:22 - 2006-Apr-24 - post comment