Belgium's "Red Devils" not feeling heat yet

Belgium's injury woes have mounted ahead of Saturday's World Cup first-leg playoff against the Czech Republic with Celtic defender Joos Valgaeren becoming the latest player to be ruled out of the game.

Coach Robert Waseige picked a 20-man squad following injuries to captain Marc Wilmots and striker Emile Mpenza who will miss the home game on Saturday and the second leg in Prague next Wednesday.

Valgaeren is unable to play after the results of a scan on Tuesday on an inflamed knee. He has already returned to Scotland for treatment.

"I'm disappointed because no one wants to miss a match of this importance," Valgaeren said.

Belgium are looking to qualify for their sixth World Cup in a row but the loss of some of the side's most experienced players means it will not be easy for the "Red Devils".

"Of course it's a handicap, but not enough for me to wake up sweating in the middle of the night," Waseige said.

"Those that are replacing them are some of the best players in Belgium," he said adding that 32-year-old Wilmots, who plays for Germany's Schalke 04 and has won 60 caps for his country, would be missed most.

Waseige said he would not replace Valgaeren in the squad.

"He was in remarkable form but I don't really see who, outside the squad, could be called up," Waseige said.

"I still have eight defenders or players who can move into the back line in the squad. That's more than enough."

Asked if Valgaeren could be fit enough to play in the second leg, Waseige said: "Officially it's possible but looking at the facts, I don't really think so."

DISAPPOINTING

The Belgians need to qualify for next year's finals in Japan and South Korea after a disappointing performance at Euro 2000 on their own soil when they became the only host nation to be eliminated in the first round.

Czech coach Jozef Chovanec has problems with suspensions.

Towering striker and former Anderlecht player Jan Koller has been suspended for the two-match playoff, while playmaker Tomas Rosicky will miss the first leg for yellow card violations.

Unlike Belgium, there are no serious injury worries in the Czech team although Rosicky's knee troubles have recently hampered his play. But the Borussia Dortmund player should be fit for the return leg.

Belgium's media has speculated that Waseige, expected to announce the team line-up later on Friday, might abandon his traditional 4-4-2 formation for a 3-5-2 line up.

Teams:

Belgium (probable): Geert De Vlieger, Eric Deflandre, Eric Van Meir, Philip Clement, Timmy Simons, Sven Vermant, Johan Walem, Bart Goor, Nico Van Kerckhoven, Gert Verheyen, Wesley Sonck.

Czech Republic: Pavel Srnicek; Zdenek Grygera, Jiri Novotny, Tomas Repka, Marek Jankulovski, Karel Poborsky, Jiri Jarosik, Martin Hasek, Pavel Nedved, Vladimir Smicer, Milan Baros.