Brazil is back for two more friendlies in Sweden,
where the South American country won its first of a record five World Cup titles
in 1958.
Brazil, which edged Ecuador 2-1 in a friendly in Stockholm in October, plays
Chile on Saturday in Goteborg and then returns to the Swedish capital to play
Ghana on Tuesday.
Saturday's game will be played at Ullevi Stadium, where Pele made his debut at
age 17 during the 1958 World Cup.
After training in cold weather at Ullevi on Friday, Dunga said he would try four
forwards - Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho and Fred - for the first time since he
became Brazil coach late last year. It's all part of Brazil's preparation for
the Copa America championship.
"It's so close to Copa America, so it will be good to see how it can work,"
Dunga said.
The only other practice during the Swedish tour is Monday at Rasunda Stadium in
Stockholm, where Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 in the 1958 final.
Four players initially picked by Dunga had to be dropped from the squad because
of injuries.
Goalkeeper Helton sustained a left thigh injury and was replaced by 19-year-old
Gremio player Cassio.
"Unfortunately, we had to summon him because of an injury, but it comes as part
of our planning to observe players that might play in the Olympic team," Dunga
said earlier this week.
Defenders Alex and Luisao and striker Rafael Sobis also won't be able to play.
Luisao, of Portugal's Benfica, is nursing a right knee injury, while Alex has a
partially torn left hamstring. Sobis hurt his right knee in Real Betis' 2-0 loss
to Mallorca in the Spanish league a week ago.
Dunga replaced Sobis with AC Milan's Ricardo Oliveira, and the two defenders
with Naldo, of Germany's Werder Bremen, and Edu Dracena, of Turkey's Fenerbahce.
Dunga said he summoned some of those players to have a chance to "observe them
more closely."
Before each match, he said he has a list of 40 players with a chance to make it
to the squad.
The match with Chile will be Dunga's eighth since he replaced Carlos Alberto
Parreira after Brazil's World Cup elimination in Germany. Dunga has led Brazil
to five wins, one draw and one loss - a 2-0 defeat against Portugal in London
last month.
Chile coach Nelson Acosta selected a 20-man squad with only two strikers.
There were no surprises on the roster announced by Acosta. He called 14 players
from foreign clubs and only six based in Chile.
Returning to the national squad were midfielders Luis Jimenez of Lazio and
Rodrigo Tello of Sporting Lisbon.
Saturday's match is part of both teams' preparation for Copa America, the South
American championship to be played in Venezuela in June and July. |
