Delvecchio misses Azerbaijan match

REGGIO CALABRIA, Italy -- Marco Delvecchio will miss Italy's final Euro 2004 Group Nine qualifier against Azerbaijan in Reggio Calabria after pulling his right hamstring.

The 30-year-old striker was injured in Friday night's training session at Reggina's Granillo stadium and is expected to be out of action for at least a month.

Delvecchio, who was expected to be one of Italy's substitutes, is the second Roma player to pull out of the squad following Christian Panucci's withdrawal because of an ankle injury.

Italy will qualify for next year's finals in Portugal if they beat Azerbaijan, the group's bottom club.

The Italians, who beat Azerbaijan 2-0 in their first group match last year, have 14 points from seven matches, one more than second-placed Wales, who play at home to Serbia and Montenegro.

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