Elmander out for Sweden vs Ireland

Elmander out for Sweden vs Ireland

Published Mar. 12, 2013 5:29 p.m. ET

Sweden will be without forward Johan Elmander for its upcoming World Cup qualifier against Ireland, while Celtic defender Mikael Lustig is in the squad after recovering from an injury.

Elmander has been struggling with injuries and was ruled out of Galatasaray's Champions League match against Schalke on Tuesday, and was left out of coach Erik Hamren's squad for the March 22 game.

Lustig missed Celtic's Champions League game against Juventus last week but is hoping to be fit to play.

The team includes one newcomer as Hamren called up Erkan Zengin, a midfielder who plays for Turkish club Eskisehirspor and impressed in a recent game against Galatasaray.

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Young Boys forward Alexander Gerndt is also back in the team following a suspension after being found guilty of assaulting his ex-wife. Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to spearhead Sweden's attack.

Sweden is second in Group C behind Germany, with Ireland a point behind in third place.

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Squad:

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Kasimpasa), Kristoffer Nordfeldt, (Heerenveen), Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen).

Defenders: Mikael Antonsson (Bologna), Andreas Granqvist (Genoa), Mikael Lustig (Celtic), Per Nilsson (Nuernberg), Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich Albion), Martin Olsson (Blackburn), Behrang Safari (Anderlecht).

Midfielders/forwards: Jimmy Durmaz (Genclerbirligi), Rasmus Elm (CSKA Moscow), Alexander Gerndt (Young Boys), Samuel Holmen (Istanbul), Tobias Hysen (IFK Goteborg), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Alexander Kacaniklic (Burnley), Kim Kallstrom (Spartak Moscow), Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland), Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven), Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow), Erkan Zengin (Eskisehirspor).

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