Ukraine coach Leonid Buryak has included striker Andriy Shevchenko in his squad for the Euro 2004 qualifier against Northern Ireland - despite the fact the AC Milan star is injured and cannot play.

Shevchenko was ruled out for the match in Belfast after injuring his knee in Milan's Champions League qualifier against Slovan Liberec two months ago.

He also misses Ukraine's home match against Greece on Saturday 12 October, four days before the Northern Ireland game.

The Ukrainians will dearly miss their prolific striker, who has scored 62 goals in three seasons in Serie A since joining Milan from Dynamo Kiev.

But Buryak said he needs Shevchenko's presence to boost sagging morale following a disappointing 2-2 draw against Armenia in their group six opener in September.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Serhiy Rebrov is back in the squad after missing that game.

Ukraine squad:Goalkeepers: Vitaly Reva (Dynamo Kiev), Mykola Medin (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Dmytro Shutkov (Shakhtar Donetsk).

Defenders: Oleh Luzhny (Arsenal), Andriy Nesmachny, Yuri Dmitrulin and Olexander Radchenko (all Dynamo Kiev), Serhiy Matyukhin and Hennady Moroz (both Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Mykhailo Starostyak (Shakhtar Donetsk), Viktor Skripnik (Werder Bremen).

Midfielders: Hennady Zubov and Anatoly Tymoshchyuk (both Shakhtar Donetsk), Andriy Husin (Dynamo Kiev), Serhiy Konovalov (Arsenal Kiev), Serhiy Serebrennikov (Club Bruges), Serhiy Kormiltsev (Torpedo Moscow), Maxim Kalinichenko (Spartak Moscow).

Forwards: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan), Serhiy Rebrov (Tottenham Hotspur), Andriy Vorobei (Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleh Venglinsky (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Olexander Melashchenko (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Voronin (FSV Mainz, Germany).