Croatian keeper grounded

CROATIA will line out without first choice goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa after he missed the team’s flight from Zagreb to Dublin.

Coach Zlatko Kranjcar was furious when the Shakhtar Donetsk ’keeper failed to make it to Zagreb because storms in his home town of Split had grounded all planes.

Krancjar said: “Pletikosa was unprofessional and he wanted to join us at the very last moment and in the end he did not arrive on time to join the team.

“He was supposed to be our first choice goalkeeper for the game in Dublin, but I have invited Vladimir Vasilj to join the team instead.”

Pletikosa claimed: “I was checking tickets to Dublin on other flights when the coach rang me to say he had called Vasilj to replace me. There wasn’t much I could do but leave the airport and go home.”