South Africa v Uruguay

TEAM NEWS

South Africa coach Carlos Parreira is likely to recall experienced left-back Tsepo Masilela to the starting line-up in the only expected change. He replaced Lucas Thwala in the second half against Mexico.
Uruguay will be without Nicolas Lodeiro, who was sent off in the draw with France, but he was not expected to start anyway. Coach Oscar Tabarez will play with three forwards, with Edison Cavani replacing midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez. Diego Forlan is expected to drop deeper and play behind Cavani and Luis Suarez.
One booking from suspension: Dikgacoi, Masilela (South Africa); Victorino, Lugano (Uruguay).

MATCH PREVIEW

Uruguay will be aiming to silence the buzz around Bafana Bafana when the sides meet in Pretoria on Wednesday. To a deafening backdrop of vuvuzela horns, the hosts blew away any fears that they could be embarrassed at their own World Cup. Siphiwe Tshabalala's spectacular strike may not have been enough to secure victory against Mexico, but Carlos Parreira's side have made their point.
With the opening-day jitters now out of the way, South Africa's dreams of a second-round spot will face a moment of truth against Uruguay. Coach Carlos Parreira has suggested four points might be enough to reach the knockout phase and, with 2006 finalists France to come in their final game, Bafana Bafana regard Uruguay as their best hope of claiming a victory.
'La Celeste', of course, will have similar ambitions in a match they will also have targeted as the easiest of their Group A encounters. Oscar Tabarez's side earned a point with a dogged display in a goalless draw with France, and the coach has admitted his team will need to go on the attack against South Africa: "Our next match requires a new dimension. We always say the first game defines how the group will evolve but in this instance the next game now will shape the group."
A word of warning for vuvuzela-haters - following the opening-day draw with Mexico, South Africa goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune complained that the support at Soccer City was not loud enough, so expect a whole new level of din at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday!

MATCH STATS

Head-to-head
- South Africa have not beaten Uruguay in two previous meetings. At the 1997 Confederations Cup the South Americans edged a 4-3 victory. The sides also ground out a goalless draw in a friendly at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, in September 2007.

South Africa

- Carlos Parreira's side, who are the second lowest-ranked side in the tournament (83) after North Korea (105), are on an unbeaten run of 13 matches.
- South Africa are unbeaten in matches played in Pretoria, with three victories and two draws.
- Parreira is managing at his sixth World Cup after Kuwait (1982), the United Arab Emirates (1990), Saudi Arabia (1998) and Brazil (1994 and 2006).

Uruguay

- South American sides are yet to beat a host nation during the first round of a World Cup.
- In 15 World Cup matches since reaching the semi-finals in 1970, Uruguay have mustered just one victory, a last-minute win over South Korea in 1990. The man in the dugout that day was current coach Oscar Tabarez.

OFFICIALS
Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)
Assistants: Matthias Arnet, Francesco Buragina (both Switzerland)
Fourth official: Wolfgang Stark (Germany)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_17/default.stm