07.09. (Sat) 21:15 Brazil - Australia

Brazil have been weakened by injuries but their depth should still mean they are good enough to overcome Australia on Saturday.



Full-back Dani Alves (knee) and striker Hulk (thigh) have been ruled out of the clash, while the Socceroos are missing star forward Tim Cahill (ankle).



The Confederations Cup holders are also preparing for a friendly against Portugal and may start with a more experimental line-up against Australia - although they are still likely to control proceedings from the off.



Scolari's men have only lost twice this year – including a 1-0 defeat against Switzerland last time out – as they prepare for the World Cup.



Barcelona star Neymar is fit to lead the attack for Felipao's men, while Alves' absence means Maicon may start at right-back with David Luiz and Thiago Silva to command the back four.



Even if some of their bigger names are rested with an eye to the Portugal clash, Brazil are likely to send Saturday's opponents a warning about what to expect from a top side at the World Cup.

Australia have friendlies against the Selecao and France as their next two clashes in what is an ideal build-up to the 2014 finals.



Australia coach Holger Osieck will learn plenty about where his team sits and has named close to a full-strength squad for the encounter in Brasilia.



The Socceroos defence will be tested by a star-studded Brazil side, so Osieck is likely to start his preferred back four in Luke Wilkshire, Lucas Neill, Sasa Ognenovski and Matt McKay.



Under the German, the Socceroos have shown they are capable of sitting back and getting results, highlighted by their 1-1 draw in Japan in a qualifier in June.



With Cahill injured, Josh Kennedy is likely to get a start up front, while Central Coast striker Mitchell Duke, who impressed at the East Asian Cup, may also get an opportunity.

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League 2 Opta Facts: 7 September

Burton v Oxford Utd

Burton Albion have never lost at home in the league to Oxford United (D2 L1).

Oxford United have now gone eight games unbeaten in league competition; winning six of them.

Three of the last four meetings between these teams have ended in a draw.

Burton scored five goals over the two games featuring these teams last season; Oxford scored just one.

Only Torquay (5) have accumulated more points from losing positions than Oxford (4).



Cheltenham v Portsmouth

Cheltenham Town have lost three of their last four league matches (W1 L3).

Portsmouth's David Connolly is the joint league top scorer with four goals.

Pompey have kept just one clean sheet in their last six league games.

These teams have never met in league competition.

Cheltenham Town (along with Accrington Stanley) have conceded the most goals so far this season in League Two (11).



Chesterfield v Accrington

Chesterfield are unbeaten in seven league games; winning six of them.

Accrington Stanley are on a run of six league games without a win (D1 L5).

The Spirerites have kept four clean sheets in their last six league matches.

The Lancashire club average a goal every 150 minutes; the worst rate in League Two this season.

Gary Roberts has three assists so far this campaign; only Craig Jones (4) has more in League Two.



Dag & Red v Exeter

Dagenham & Redbridge have only managed one clean sheet in their last eight league games.

Exeter City have either scored two goals in a match or failed to score at all in their last eight league games.

Dagenham & Redbridge have won just one game in their last eight league fixtures (D2 L5).

Exeter have been awarded more corners (42) than any other team so far this season in League Two.

Alan Gow has the best minutes/goal ratio of any player in League Two, averaging a goal every 57.5 minutes (minimum 45 minutes played).



Fleetwood v Torquay

These teams have met twice before in league competition; Fleetwood Town are yet to lose (W1 D1).

Torquay United failed to score against Fleetwood Town in their two previous showdowns.

There were just three yellow cards shown over the two games featuring these sides last season.

Only Michael Smith (9) has had more shots on target in League Two this season than Fleetwood's David Ball (8).

Torquay have lost just once in their last eight games in league competition (W3 D4).



Hartlepool v Wycombe

Hartlepool United have failed to beat Wycombe in their last four league meetings (D1 L3).

Wycombe Wanderers have never managed a clean sheet away at Hartlepool United.

Wycombe scored eight goals against Hartlepool in the 2011/12 season; conceding just one.

No team in League Two has received as many yellow cards as Wycombe this season (13).

Dean Morgan has been booked more than any other player this season (4).



Newport v Mansfield

Newport County have failed to score in three of their last four league meetings with Mansfield Town.

Mansfield Town have won four of the last five league games against Newport (W4 L1).

Just one of the last nine league games between these teams have ended in a draw.

These two teams are both on eight points heading into this fixture.

Lindon Meikle is second on the minutes to goals ratio list in League Two this season; averaging a goal every 72 minutes (minimum of 45 minutes played).



Northampton v Scunthorpe

Northampton Town have managed only one win in their last eight against Scunthorpe in the league (D3 L4).

Scunthorpe United have scored in each of their last eight league meetings against Northampton.

14 goals were scored in the two matches last season.

Northampton have scored in their last six home league meetings to Scunthorpe.

Roy O'Donovan has been offside more than any other play in League Two this season (12).



Plymouth v Bristol Rovers

Plymouth Argyle have lost only twice in their last 13 home leagues to Bristol Rovers (W4 D7).

Bristol Rovers have gone 10 league games without a clean sheet against Plymouth.

The Devon side have lost just one of their last eight against Bristol Rovers in the league (W5 D2).

The Pilgrims are yet to draw a game this season (W2 L3).

Conor Hourihane scored in both meetings last season for Plymouth Argyle.



Rochdale v Bury

Rochdale have scored 10 goals in their last four league meetings with Bury.

Bury have beaten Rochdale just twice in seven league games (D2 L3).

Rochdale have failed to score against Bury only once in the last 12 league meetings.

Bury's Craig Jones has the most assists in League Two this season (4).

No side has recorded more shots off target so far this season in League Two than Rochdale (35).



Southend v Morecambe

Southend have never beaten Morecambe in the league (D1 L5).

Morecambe have scored in every league game against the Essex side.

Southend's Freddy Eastwood is the joint top scorer with four goals in League Two.

Morecambe have kept three clean sheets against Southend United in their six league meetings.

Morecambe have salvaged three points from losing positions this season; the third highest total in the division.



York v Wimbledon

York City have lost both games they have played against AFC Wimbledon in league competition.

Wimbledon have scored six goals in two league games against York City.

AFC Wimbledon have attempted more shots (including blocked) than any other team so far this season in League Two (76).

Only one side (Bury 56.25%) have averaged a higher share of possession than York City (55.6%) so far this season in the league.

Wimbledon's Andrew Frampton has made the joint-highest number of blocks in the league this season (5).

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07.09. (Sat) 04:30 Peru - Uruguay

Uruguay welcomed eight of their European-based players into the squad on Monday ahead of the weekend’s World Cup qualifier in Peru.



Among those who arrived were Diego Godin, Alvaro Pereira and Diego Perez as Oscar Tabarez prepares his side for the crucial match in Lima.



Uruguay currently occupy fifth spot, which would leave them having to compete in a two legged play-off with a qualifier from the Asian section - Jordan or Uzbekistan.



Tabarez has one of the world’s strongest forward lines at his disposal with the trio of Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez all available.



The coach should benefit from all three being fully focused, with Cavani having moved to Paris Saint-Germain early in the summer and Suarez still at Liverpool despite speculation about a move during the transfer window.



Uruguay will be hoping for a repeat of the reverse fixture, when goals from Suarez, Maxi Pereira, Cristian Rodriguez and Sebastian Eguren handed them a 4-2 victory.



Tabarez acknowledged the enormity of the game as the qualification process heads towards a conclusion.



“Victory will be a great result for us,” he said.



“If it’s a draw, that benefits us. If we win, I think we will draw a significant advantage because after that there are only three games left.”



Peru currently sit seventh in the standings, just two points behind Uruguay with four games remaining.



Yordy Reyna and Carlos Zambrano were the last players to join up with Sergio Markarian’s squad in Lima, and Reyna was quick to underline his willingness to help the team.



“This game we have to win because we are playing at home,” he said.



“I will contribute to the team when they need me.”



Winger Paolo Hurtado, of Pacos de Ferreira, echoed the sentiments of Reyna.



“The match against Uruguay will be very difficult but we will go above and beyond for the three points,” he said.



“I feel great. If I play or not, that will be determined by the coach, but I always come prepared to play for Peru.”

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07.09. (Sat) 04:00 Costa Rica - USA

Costa Rica is out for revenge.



The Ticos (3-2-1) have come up short in both of their meetings with the United States (4-1-1) in recent months, losing 1-0 in World Cup qualifying and the Gold Cup group stage, and the former especially sticks in the craw of fans in the Central American country.



In the middle of a snow storm, a first-half goal from Clint Dempsey was enough to seal all three vital Hexagonal points for the Yanks. Costa Rica later appealed the result, with coach Jorge Luis Pinto calling it "an embarrassment to football." That appeal was denied by Fifa.



The failed appeal has only bolstered the feeling of injustice felt by Costa Ricans, who have taken to hyperbole and petty gamesmanship ahead of the match.



Where U.S. men's national team players were previously given priority immigration status and private travel transitions, they now had to wait in line with everybody else, and walk to their bus surrounded by enraged locals yelling "USA, no fair play!" The Costa Rican FA failed to provide the U.S. team with game balls for training, and left the Yanks to find their own practice facility after the three recommended sites refused the Stars and Stripes. Newspaper Al Dia printed a picture of U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann arriving at the airport with the caption "los sentimos Jurgen, no hay nieve" (sorry Jurgen, no snow).



The off-field sideshow has somewhat overshadowed the facts. The top two teams in the Hex can book their tickets to Brazil with good weeks - Costa Rica for the first time since 2002.



A win in San Jose means the U.S. are guaranteed at least a play-off against New Zealand. An additional win against Mexico in Columbus and the U.S. will have qualified. Costa Rica are not quite as well off, but a win against the USA would put them at the top of the table, with a game on Tuesday against basement boys Jamaica while the U.S. slugs it out with Mexico.



The biggest injury concern for the U.S. is red-hot striker Jozy Altidore. Having scored in six straight U.S. appearances, he did not fully participate in training on Wednesday despite being cleared by U.S. medical staff. If he is unable to play on Friday, Klinsmann will have to decide whether he wants to play one of stalwarts Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey (set for his 100th cap) out of position, or start one of Eddie Johnson or Aron Johannsson.

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