Stekelenburg out for two months

Netherlands and Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg is likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his thumb, the Dutch news agency ANP reported on Wednesday.

Stekelenburg fractured his right thumb in training with his club last Saturday and will be sidelined for around two months.

Ajax host Spartak Moscow in the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday, having gone down 1-0 in the away leg.

Stekelenburg will miss that game, as well as his country's Euro 2012 qualifying double-header with Hungary on March 25 and March 29.

The 28-year-old was a member of the Dutch team that lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final in South Africa last July.