Mulling Kaka replacement

With progress to the FIFA World Cup™ last 16 already assured, Brazil's reserves have the chance to shine in their final group match against Portugal.

Monday was a rest day for the most part for the first eleven, as coach Dunga instead put the remainder of the squad through their paces in the knowledge that he now has two reasons to shuffle his pack and investigate his men's strength in depth. That is because wins over Korea DPR and Côte d'Ivoire have propelled Brazil through the opening phase but also because star midfielder Kaka has inadvertently done Dunga a favour.

By getting himself a red card against Côte d'Ivoire, the Real Madrid superstar will have to sit out the Portugal encounter come what may. His opening showing against the North Koreans in a fairly hard-fought 2-1 win was not quite what fans have come to expect of a former FIFA World Player of the Year and there had been indications that he would not necessarily keep his place with some players talking up the skills of the likes of Julio Baptista.

Kaka did improve against Côte d'Ivoire with a neat assist, but his sending off for pushing Abdelkader Keita means Dunga must shake things up anyway - though with six points in the bag, he can afford to do so. "We are not sure who will replace Kaka for the next game, we will think about it over the next few days," Dunga said.

Although Dunga - to the horror of some former players and many fans - has reined in the samba style in his four-year tenure, to date he has nonetheless been handsomely rewarded both in the CONMEBOL Copa America and the FIFA Confederations Cup here last year.

Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, currently in charge of Côte d'Ivoire, feels Brazil look like champions. "You need to be almost perfect to beat Brazil. In every way they are good, they are very good," opined Eriksson.

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