Hennessey set to miss Scots clash

WALES were dealt an early blow to their World Cup qualifying campaign when it was confirmed yesterday that Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey will be out of action for around six months after rupturing his anterior cruciate knee ligament.

That would probably rule Hennessey out of Wales’ opening four qualifiers, at home to Belgium on 7 September, away to Serbia on 11 September, the home match against Craig Levein’s Scotland in Cardiff on 12 October, then the trip to Croatia on 16 October.

The goalkeeper suffered the injury during last weekend’s goalless draw with Sunderland, although he did not realise the severity of the damage initially and completed the game. Hennessey was due to have surgery yesterday and is expected to be out until October.

Wolves’ head of medical services, Steve Kemp, told www.wolves.co.uk: “Our worst fears have been realised.”

Hennessey, whose chances of making the Great Britain Olympic team are also now over, had made 58 consecutive Premier League appearances since reclaiming the number one spot from Marcus Hahnemann in November 2010.

Former Dunfermline and Swansea goalkeeper Dorus De Vries is set to make his Barclays Premier League debut against Manchester City at Molineux on Sunday and the Dutchman is likely to keep Wolves’ No 1 shirt for the remaining games of the campaign. The Midlands club have also recalled Carl Ikeme from his loan spell with already-relegated Championship side Doncaster to provide cover for De Vries.

Meanwhile, West Brom manager Roy Hodgson has all but ruled out returns for midfield pair Zoltan Gera and James Morrison this season.

The duo have both been sidelined by knee injuries, with Gera rupturing a cruciate ligament in November while Morrison damaged the medial ligament in his left knee against Newcastle last month.

Morrison will also now miss out on Scotland’s international friendly, away to the United States in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, 26 May.