Aggravating hamstring injury has led Poland winger Jakub Blaszczykowski out of Euro 2008 football championship, it was revealed on Thursday.

Blaszczykowski, who plays for Borussia Dortmund, picked up the injury last month and had been sidelined for two weeks.

"A medical examination and a consequent diagnosis showed it would be impossible for the player to be fit for the group stage," Polish national team spokeswoman Marta Alf told reporters on Thursday.

"Therefore a decision was made to request UEFA to approve the replacement of Blaszczykowski with Hertha Berlin player Lukasz Piszczek," she said.

The 23-year-old Piszczek made his debut in a friendly against Estonia in February and has three caps.

Coach Leo Beenhakker looked upon the winger as one of the key players in Poland's bid to reach the last eight in their first appearance in the Euro finals.

Poland will play their opening match against Group B rivals Germany in Klagenfurt on Sunday, and on June 12, they will play co-hosts Austria in Vienna, and four days later they will meet Croatia in Klagenfurt.

(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2008)

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