Ukraine lose striker Gladkiy for playoff first leg

KIEV, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Ukraine striker Olexandr Gladkiy has been ruled out of the Euro 2016 playoff first leg against Slovenia in Lviv on Saturday. The Shakhtar Donetsk player, who has not recovered from an ankle injury, did not fly with the team to Lviv, Football 1 TV channel reported on Friday. Ukraine have only three fit strikers in Evhen Seleznyov, Artem Kravets and Pylyp Budkivskiy.

(Reuters)

Gladkiy is hoping to recover for the return game in Slovenia on Tuesday. Ukraine will also be without injured midfielder Ruslan Rotan for both legs while defensive midfielder Taras Stepanenko and full back Olexandr Kucher are suspended for the first game. Ukraine's clash with Slovenia is a repeat of the Euro 2000 playoff which the Slovenians won 3-2 on aggregate to reach their first major tournament as an independent nation.

(Reporting by Igor Nitsak, editing by Ed Osmond)