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Brazil to face Bolivia without strikers
Striker Adriano will be the only regular starter in Brazil's lineup when it faces Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:51 AM IST
Read Time: 2 min
Sao Paulo:
Striker Adriano will be the only regular starter in Brazil's lineup when it faces Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said Friday.
Parreira will rest most of the team's regulars in the match in the 3,950-meter altitude of La Paz, and said he will use the opportunity to test new players.
He picked 26 players in his squad for this round of qualifiers, four more than usual.
Dida, Cafu, Juan, Roberto Carlos, Emerson, Kaka, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo won't travel to Bolivia, but remain in Brazil for the team's encounter against Venezuela in the northern city of Belem on Wednesday, the team's last qualifier.
Great expectations
Parreira was expecting a good result despite the absence of the top stars.
"We will play Bolivia with a strong team and with great players," Parreira said. "For us ... there are no bench players or regular starters."
Adriano, the team's highest scorer since Parreira returned as manager of the national team in 2003, will play alongside Robinho in the attack.
Juninho Pernambucano will play with Ricardinho in the midfield, and Cicinho will get a chance in the back.
Brazil is already guaranteed a berth at next year's tournament regardless of the results against Bolivia and Venezuela.
In second place
The five-time World Cup winner, which lost its last two games in La Paz, is second in South America's qualifying group with 30 points, one behind Argentina and four more than third-place Ecuador.
"We want to make new observations in this match against Bolivia," Parreira said Thursday.
"So when it's time to choose the 23 players for the Cup, we can choose what is best for the national team."
The coach said the regulars likely will return against Venezuela. Brazil is the only nation to have played in every edition since the competition's inception in 1930. (AP)
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