Rivaldo back for Brazil

The gifted Rivaldo provides a range of options for Brazil

Brazil have turned to the big guns as they fight to secure a 2002 World Cup finals spot.

Romario has been axed, but back come Rivaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos, and Leonardo returns after a self-imposed two-year absence.

Brazil are currently fourth - the last qualifying spot - in the South American qualifying group and face a vital home tie against Paraguay.

That is the Paraguay who lie second in the table, are five points clear of Brazil and beat the four-time champions 2-1 last July.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari will not reveal his team until the last moment, and although Rivaldo will definitely start, Scolari refused to say where.

"Rivaldo could alternate between the midfield and the attack, or maybe a third striker could come into play," said Scolari.

Like Brazil, who lost in the quarter-finals to Honduras, Paraguay also had a poor Copa America.

Roque Santa Cruz will test the Brazilian defence

They even lost 3-1 to Brazil, but both sides will be unrecognisable and the match will have little bearing on Wednesday's result.

Bayern Munich's Roque Santa Cruz provides the Paraguayans with a cutting edge and their outstanding keeper, Jose Luis Chilavert, is brimming with confidence.

"We can easily beat Brazil," said the Strasbourg goalkeeper.

"The Brazilians regularly boast about being the best in the world - but that's a title they haven't held for a long time now."

Group leaders Argentina are strong contenders for that tag, and if either Brazil or fifth-placed Uruguay fail to win an Argentine victory will secure them a spot in Korea and Japan.

Argentina are away to Ecuador, another of the South American minnows doing a good impersonation of a piranha.

The Andean nation are third and Argentina will have to be at their best to overcome not only their fired-up hosts, but also the altitude.

Newly-minted Red Devil Juan Sebastian Veron will play after missing Manchester United's Charity Shield defeat, but Gabriel Batistuta will be missing through injury.

If Brazil fail to win, Uruguay are almost certain to knock them out of the last qualifying spot, as they play bottom-of-the-table Venezuela.

In the other games six-placed Colombia play Peru and Chile host Bolivia.