Uefa Under-21 Championship qualifying: Bosnia-Hercegovina v Wales
Venue: Grbavica Stadium, Sarajevo Date: Wed, 18 November KO: 1500 GMT

Ramsey scored the winner in a crucial win over Italy in September

Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale have been withdrawn from Wales' Under-21 squad to face Bosnia-Herzegovina in a Uefa qualifier in Sarajevo on Wednesday.

Ramsey was influential in Wales' senior win over Scotland on Saturday - scoring one and creating two more - but has been struggling with a back problem.

Jack Collison (knee), Joe Partington and Lewin Nyatanga also miss out.

But senior strike trio Ched Evans, Sam Vokes and Simon Church travel as does Joe Allen, Adam Matthews and Andy King.

Table-topping Wales are the Uefa qualifying Group Three standard bearers and victory in Bosnia on Wednesday would put Brian Flynn's team on the verge of qualifying for the play-offs for 2011 finals in Denmark.

Sheffield United frontman Evans and Leicester midfielder King were the only senior internationals present in their last game, a 2-0 win at the Racecourse in the reverse fixture against Bosnia.

Senior full-backs Neal Eardley and Chris Gunter also miss the trip but Flynn is boosted by the inclusion of seven full internationals in his squad - including an experienced forward line of on-loan Leeds striker Vokes, Reading's Church and Evans.

Ramsey scored the winner in what could prove to be a crucial 2-1 home win over group favourites Italy in Swansea in September but he is pulled out as Flynn feels he has more than adequate reinforcements.

Wales also want to be fair to his club Arsenal as Ramsey played an hour in the senior team's 3-0 win over Scotland - and a trip to eastern Europe will not help his back complaint.

Since a disappointing goalless draw in their opening match against Luxemburg, Wales have won all four group games which have all been at home.

Wales' hopes of winning the group were also improved when Bosnia-Herzegovina secured their first points of their campaign with a battling 1-1 draw in Italy.

And Hungary's 2-0 over qualifying rivals Italy on Friday was a boost for Wales' qualification hopes but this trip to Sarajevo is the first of three successive away games for Flynn's youngsters.

After travelling to Sarajevo, Flynn's youngsters end their group with crucial trips to Hungary and Italy.

The 10 group winners and four best runners-up will qualify for the play-off stage, with the seven winners joining hosts Denmark in the finals in June 2011.

Wales Under-21 squad to face Bosnia-Herzegovina in Sarajevo on Wednesday 18 November, 2009:
David Cornell (Swansea City), Chris Maxwell (Wrexham), Darcy Blake (Cardiff City, on loan at Plymouth Argyle), Adam Matthews (Cardiff City), Aaron Morris (Cardiff City), Christian Ribeiro (Bristol City), Ashley Richards (Swansea City), Neil Taylor (Wrexham), James Wilson (Bristol City, on loan at Brentford), Joe Allen (Swansea City), Billy Bodin (Swindon Town), Mark Bradley (Walsall), Andy King (Leicester City), Shaun MacDonald (Swansea City, on loan at Yeovil Town), Elliott Chamberlain (Leicester City), Simon Church (Reading), Ched Evans (Sheffield United), Jake Taylor (Reading), Sam Vokes (Wolverhampton Wanderers, on loan at Leeds Utd), Marc Williams (Wrexham).

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