Carlos Queiroz will have little option but to field his best combination against Bafana as he badly needs a morale-boosting win after their disappointing performance in the previous matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Danny who plays for Zenit St Petersburg, and Deco may be rested, but Quieroz could be tempted to field them in an attempt to get a morale boosting win. Jose Bosingwa is unavailable against South Africa.

Possible Starting XI: Eduardo, Carvalho, Duda, Alves, Rolando, Tiago, Pepe, Meireles, Maniche, Simao, Almeida.

South Africa

One would expect Bafana will change things around and Rowen Fernandez could get his chance in goal and Tshababala must surely be in with a shout of a place in the starting line up. A look at the striking options with Moriri and Mashego itching for a chance to show what they can do is another serious option.

Goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez may take over from Kaizer Chiefs’ Itumeleng Khune against Portugal. Midfielder Elrio van Heerden and Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy will not play tonight. There is also doubt surrounding Spanish-based central defender Nasief Morris, who picked up an injury at training last week and missed the Norway game on Saturday as a result.

Possible Starting XI: Fernandez, Booth, Gaxa, Masilela, Davids, Mokoena, Sibaya, Pienaar, Nkosi, Mashego, Parker.

Form Guide

Portugal

28 March: Portugal 0-0 Sweden
11 February: Portugal 1-0 Finland
19 November: Brazil 6-2 Portugal
15 October: Portugal 0-0 Albania
11 October: Sweden 0-0 Portugal

South Africa

28 March: South Africa 2-1 Norway
11 February: South Africa 0-2 Chile
27 January: South Africa 1-0 Zambia
19 November: South Africa 3-2 Cameroon
15 October: South Africa 2-1 Ghana

Prediction

South Africa are on a high after their 2-1 win against Norway, and they will be going all out to try and make it two out of two against Portugal.

My prediction: SOUTH AFRICA +1

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England

England are top of Group Six, share with Spain the distinction of having a 100 percent record after four matches, and are the top scorers in the European qualifying groups with 14 goals, Capello appears to be well on top of things. But this Saturday’s friendly will be somewhat different from earlier ones because it immediately precedes a World Cup qualifier. And what’s more, opponents Slovakia are not only top of their own Group (Three), but also played last month against Ukraine, whom England host on Wednesday. More pointers than usual are therefore likely to be drawn from the English performance against the Slovaks. And for their part, the team coached by Vladimir Weiss will regard a test at Wembley as meaningful preparation for their midweek qualifier against neighbour and rivals the Czech Republic in Prague.

Everton left-back Leighton Baines was called up to the squad, and Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster was also drafted in. Spurs winger Aaron Lennon, will be in contention with Shaun Wright-Phillips and potential record-breaker David Beckham. Emile Heskey is expected to partner “crazy man” Wayne Rooney in attack. Liverpudlian Steven Gerrard are back in the squad for the first time since the qualifying win in Belarus last October.

Form
Spain 2-0 England
Germany 1-2 England ( Matthew Upson, John Terry)
Belarus 1-3 England ( Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney*2)
England 5-1 Kazakhstan ( Rio Ferdinand, OG, Wayne Rooney*2, Jermain Defoe)
Croatia 1-4 England ( Theo Walcott*3, Wayne Rooney)

Squad

Goalkeepers: David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham United), Ben Foster (Manchester United)

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Joleon Lescott (Everton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Matthew Upson (West Ham United).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), David Beckham (AC Milan), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool).

Forwards: Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

Slovakia

Slovakia currently lead Group 3 in qualification for the 2010 World Cup, ahead of both Poland and the Czech Republic. They have held their own in recent times, even managing to beat Poland in a World Cup qualifier.

Slovakia were embarassed by Cyprus in a February 2009 friendly, but Vladimir Weiss’ side will give it their all against England. There is some talent in the squad- defender Martin Skrtel, striker Robert Vittek, midfielders Stanislav Sestak and Marek Hamsik, as well as old warhorse Miroslav Karhan.

Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel is likely to be the pivotal figure in Slovakia’s defence, with Vladimir Weiss having included both him and fellow Premier League defender Marek Cech of West Bromwich Albion in his 24-man squad, along with midfielder Marek Hamsik of Napoli and strikers Marek Mintal of Nuremberg and Robert Vittek of Lille.

Form
Cyprus 3-2 Slovakia (Erik Jendrisek, Robert Jez)
Slovakia 2-3 Ukraine (Robert Vittek, Marek Hamsyk)
Slovakia 4-0 Liechtenstein ( Robert Vittek, Marek Hamsyk*2, Robert Jez)
Slovakia 2-1 Poland ( Stanislav Sestak*2)
San Marino 1-3 Slovakia ( Stanislav Sestak, Miroslav Karhan,Jan Kozak)

Squad

Goalkeepers: Stefan Senecky (Ankaraspor), Jan Mucha (Legia Warsaw), Lubos Kamenar (Artmedia Petrzalka).

Defenders: Martin Skrtel (Liverpool), Peter Pekarik (Wolfsburg), Marek Cech (West Bromwich Albion), Jan Durica (Lokomotiv Moscow), Jan Cisovsky (Timisoara), Roman Kratochvil (Konyaspor), Radoslav Zabavnik (Terek Groznyi), Martin Dobrotka (Slovan Bratislava), Jozef Valachovic (Slovan Bratislava).

Midfielders: Stanislav Sestak (Bochum), Jan Kozak (Slovan Bratislava), Branislav Obzera (Slovan Bratislava), Marek Hamsik (Napoli), Zdeno Strba (Zilina), Marek Sarapa (Rosenborg), Miroslav Karhan (Mainz 05).

Forwards: Robert Vittek (Lille), Filip Holosko (Besiktas), Marek Mintal (Nuremberg), Erik Jendrisek (Kaiserslautern), Martin Jakubko (Khimki).

Prediction

My prediction: ENGLAND -1 1/2

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