The Hague, June 2 (IANS) The Netherlands football team has started its second week of preparation for the forthcoming matches against the United States and Latvia without Bas Dost, who pulled out with a hamstring injury.
VfL Wolfsburg striker Dost sustained the injury during last Saturday’s 3-1 win in the German Cup Final against Borussia Dortmund, in which he scored one goal.
Due to the absence of Dost, the Netherlands head coach Guus Hiddink welcomed 24 players in the training camp on Monday in Hoenderloo, a village in the eastern part of the country, reports Xinhua.
Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kyiv) and Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray) still have to play the Cup finals in Ukraine (vs Shakhtar Donetsk on June 4) and Turkey (vs Bursaspor on June 3) respectively and will join the squad at a later stage.
From the original squad Hiddink made known two weeks ago Feyenoord defender Sven van Beek and FC Twente midfielder Hakim Ziyech already withdrew with ankle injuries. Last Friday, after one week of training with mostly players from the Dutch Eredivisie, Hiddink dropped three players from his squad, Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan) and Jeroen Zoet (PSV).
The Netherlands will play a friendly against the United States on Friday June 5 in Amsterdam and one week later the Dutch meet Latvia for a Euro 2016 qualifier in Riga.
The ‘Oranje’ are currently on a disappointing third place in Group A, six points behind leaders Czech Republic and five points behind Iceland.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Kenneth Vermeer (Feyenoord).
Defenders: Jeffrey Bruma (PSV), Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United) , Bruno Martins Indi (FC Porto), Karim Rekik (PSV), Joel Veltman ( Ajax), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Stefan de Vrij (Lazio), Gregory van der Wiel (Paris Saint Germain), Jetro Willems (PSV).
Midfielders: Daley Blind (Manchester United), Tjaronn Chery (FC Groningen), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Davy Propper (Vitesse), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV).
Forwards: Steven Berghuis (AZ), Memphis Depay (PSV), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Luuk de Jong (PSV), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev), Luciano Narsingh (PSV), Robin van Persie (Manchester United) , Quincy Promes (Spartak Moscow).