Dutch defender Mathijsen to miss Denmark match

Published Jun. 8, 2012 1:30 p.m. ET

foxsports

Key defender Joris Mathijsen will miss the Netherlands' European Championship opener against Denmark on Saturday but should be available for the rest of the tournament.

Coach Bert van Marwijk said Friday that Mathijsen is still recovering from a left hamstring injury sustained during a 2-1 friendly loss to Bulgaria on May 26.

He has been training on his own for most of the time since that match.

Though he will miss the Netherlands' first Group B match, Van Marwijk hopes the defender will be available to face Germany on Wednesday.

Van Marwijk says Mathijsen ''is making progress'' and that ''we are keeping him in the squad.''