Hamstring injury doubt for Dejagah

7 May 2012 08:51

Wolfsburg striker Ashkan Dejagah is expected to miss Iran's opening fourth round 2014 World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan.

Dejagah, 25, injured his hamstring in the 3-1 Bundesliga League win over Werder Bremen on April 28 and was stretchered off the field.

The initial prognosis on Dejagah's injury was it was only a minor problem.

However, team doctor Parhan Khanlari has now said he will miss the June 3 clash in Uzbekistan in a major blow for Iran who missed out on the World Cup finals in South Africa.

"Dejagah may return sooner than the Wolfsburg's doctors have diagnosed," Khanlari told The Tehran Times.

"It is not impossible, it depends on his body's ability to recover. But he will likely miss the match against Uzbekistan."

The Tehran-born Berlin-raised striker, who is a former Germany youth international, had made an impressive, long-awaited Iran debut when he scored twice in February's 2-2 World Cup qualifier draw with Qatar.

After the Uzbekistan game in Tashkent, Iran play Qatar in Tehran on June 12.