NI duo ruled outDamien Johnson and Tony Capaldi have withdrawn from Northern Ireland's squad for their Group F qualifiers against Latvia and Iceland through injury.
Birmingham midfielder Johnson is still troubled by a hamstring problem sustained in pre-season while Capaldi suffered a strain in Cardiff's win at Norwich last Saturday.
Fulham defender Aaron Hughes has been ruled out of Saturday's clash with Latvia in Riga due to an ankle injury but is hopeful of featuring in Iceland next Wednesday.
Spain wary of Iceland
Spain know they cannot afford to be complacent when they visit Iceland for Saturday's Group F qualifier, Valencia winger Joaquin said yesterday."Iceland worry us because we know they don't hand out any sweets over there, and we saw that last year.
"We have to go with all our big guns as there is a lot at stake. We need to focus on our own game and come away with the three points."
Iceland only fell 1-0 to a late Andres Iniesta strike when they visited Spain in March. Anything less than a win leaves Spain with an uphill battle in Group F. They are three points adrift of leaders Sweden and one behind second-placed Northern Ireland.
After Iceland, Spain host bottom side Latvia in Oviedo on Wednesday.
Domenech fails
The French coach Raymond Domenech will watch Saturday's group B qualifier against world champions Italy from the stands after Uefa upheld his one-match touchline ban.
Uefa's appeals body ruled yesterday that the ban, handed down following comments made by Domenech in a French newspaper, would stand.
Domenech's appeal was partially upheld, however, with the €6,000 fine lifted.
Domenech had been summoned after accusing Italy of bribing the referee of an Under-21 qualifying match for the 2000 Olympics between the two countries.
"I have said what I had to and they listened to me," Domenech said at France's training camp outside Paris. They even lifted the fine."
Toni doubtful
Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni is unlikely to play in Italy's qualifier against France in Milan on Saturday, Azzurri coach Roberto Donadoni said yesterday.
Toni, a member of Italy's World Cup-winning team, is suffering from a thigh strain that kept him out of the Bundesliga leaders' 1-1 draw at Hamburg on Sunday.
"Objectively, it will be difficult for Toni (to play against France)," Donadoni told a news conference at Italy's training camp near Florence.
"Today he will try to train at just 70 per cent and, depending on how he responds, we will see whether it is possible to increase his workload tomorrow or better to conserve him for the next match in Ukraine".
