SAINTS goalkeeper Antti Niemi is out of Finland's friendly with Norway on Thursday - and is facing a race against time to be fit for the Euro 2004 qualifiers early next month.

Niemi was stretchered off midway through the second half in Cardiff after suffering a calf tear.

As he took a goalkick, he suddenly collapsed to the ground in obvious distress as both sets of fans whistled for the game to be stopped.

At first it seemed as though the Finn might have suffered a recurrence of his knee injury, but he clutched his calf.

The injury is likely to put him out for three or four weeks, although he should comfortably be back fully fit in time for pre-season.

Niemi said: "It was really weird. I have never had any problem with my muscles.

"It makes me wonder if somehow it was something to do with the knee and not training much.

"It was very strange for it to go like that. It was not as though I slipped taking the kick or anything."

Niemi added: "I got my finger to the goal, but I just couldn't stop it, it was close range. I felt okay throughout the game and I enjoyed it.

"It certainly took the edge off the day for me. Having to go off 20 minutes from time was very disappointing but overall it was a great experience and I want to do it again.

"I don't normally have injuries, only the last few weeks. But overall I am pleased with my season."

Niemi felt Saints had performed well, but accepted Arsenal's extra quality had made all the difference.

He said: "We did well today, there were a lot of good players on the pitch. We gave it everything we got, but Arsenal are quality."

The 30-year-old also paid tribute to David Seaman and urged him to forget thoughts of retirement.

"It was quite a save he made near the end," he said. "His experience came through and he is a great goalkeeper. He has proved his worth today and he is one of the guys I look up to.

"I would keep going for another season if I was him. He made that crucial save in the semi-final as well and deserves all the praise he gets.

"There a lot of good goalkeepers in England, but he is still one of the best, if not the best."

Boss Gordon Strachan said of Niemi's injury: "He's been protecting his knee in all the training he's been doing, and he's obviously weakened his calf by doing that."

Strachan admitted he felt like "the Grim Reaper" on Friday when he told Paul Jones that he would be starting with Niemi.

"He took it well, and my last words to him were 'you never know what can happen'.

"Having said that, I didn't expect to see him going up for corners with five minutes left!

"But that's the beauty of football - you never know what's going to happen."