MONTEVIDEO: Brazil and Argentina will seek to close in on top spot this weekend in Latin American World Cup qualifiers with the samba stars travelling to Venezuela while the ‘albiceleste’ host neighbouring Uruguay.

The two giants, who between them have won seven World Cups, both stand four points behind surprise package Paraguay after eight matches but Brazil will expect to reduce the margin by claiming three points in San Cristobal tomorrow.

Olympic champions Argentina will have, on paper at least, a harder task to make short work of a Uruguayan side which, while not comparing to the World Cup-winning vintages of 1930 and 1950, nonetheless stand only a point behind their hosts.

A Uruguayan win would vault them to provisional second in the table and, having already dropped home points to the Paraguayans, Argentina — as well as, more alarmingly, to Ecuador — cannot take their visitors lightly as they seek to end a six-match run of draws.

Coach Alfio Basile is, if local media reports are to be believed, set to play three up front — Carlos Tevez, Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero –but leave Juan Roman Riquelme benched.

Brazil, having seen Argentina hold them to a 0-0 draw on home soil last June and then suffered the same result at home to modest Bolivia, have blown hot and cold in their matches but have managed to stay in touch.

Coach Dunga has to overcome injuries to Chelsea’s Alex and Julio Baptista of Roma — their replacements are Hamburg defender Silva and Porto Alegre winger Alex — but should benefit from the return of star midfielder Kaka, the 2007 European footballer of the Year.

The AC Milan star’s last qualifier was against Uruguay, in November 2007 prior to a knee injury which required surgery.

Article source:

The New Straits Times