Even without one of world soccer's biggest stars, Portugal's World Cup clash with Brazil promises a feast of skilful, attacking soccer as both teams seek to win and avoid a possible round of 16 clash with Spain.

"It is going to be a very good game for us and for all football-lovers and fans," Brazil coach Dunga said Thursday.

Not surprisingly, given the pedigree of both teams and their close cultural and historical ties, the match between Brazil and Portugal was one of the first World Cup matches to sell out. Brazil is ranked No. 1 in the world and Portugal is No. 3.

"The world's attention has been focused on this game, taking into account the quality of players both teams have," Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz said. "It's all about beautiful football, the quality of the game and creativity of our players."

The lustre was taken off slightly when midfielder Kaka was sent off in the 88th minute of Brazil's 3-1 win over Ivory Coast, meaning he will be banned from a showdown against Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in Durban.

Portugal midfielder Tiago said Brazil would not have a problem filling Kaka's boots.

"Brazil has a very strong squad," Tiago said. "They have other players who can step into that position."

Julio Baptista and Daniel Alves played with the main team at training Wednesday, an indication they could replace Kaka and Elano, who is still in doubt after injuring his right ankle against Ivory Coast.

Dunga appeared to have settled Thursday on Baptista as Kaka's replacement.

He "has already played in the Copa America. He's good in midfield and going forward," Dunga said. "Kaka is unique, but Baptista is good."

Portugal will be missing injured midfielders Deco and Ruben Amorim, Queiroz said.

Both coaches are hoping the pitch at Moses Mabhida Stadium will be good enough to allow the teams to play their flowing soccer. The teams were prevented from training in the stadium to preserve a playing surface that is showing signs of wear after hosting four World Cup matches already. It also will host a round of 16 match and one of the semifinals.

"If the pitch is not up to scratch, that's bad for both teams," Queiroz said.

Dunga agreed.

"The pitch is one of the important factors that contributes to the beautiful game," he said.

Portugal, meanwhile, has Ronaldo back in scoring touch after he broke a two-year international goal drought in his team's emphatic 7-0 demolition of North Korea.

"Without a doubt he is a great player, he has been showing this for a long time," Brazil captain Lucio said. "We need to try to defend as a team, it's key we help each other and stay focused. We will have to pay attention to a player like Ronaldo and also to the others."

Queiroz was critical of the yellow card shown Ronaldo against Ivory Coast, but said the star would not change the way he plays out of fear of picking up a second yellow and a one-match suspension.

"He has to play his normal football," he said.

Brazil's defeats of North Korea and Ivory Coast guaranteed it a place in the round of 16. It now wants to continue its winning ways to top Group G and avoid a possible match against fellow World Cup favourite Spain in the next round.

Portugal is second in the group on four points after starting the tournament with a lacklustre 0-0 draw against Ivory Coast before hitting form against North Korea. That means a draw is enough for a place in the next round, while a victory will see Queiroz's team win the group.

"Portugal is going to have to attack in order to secure points in this group stage," Dunga said.

Portugal's quick passing and silky ball skills have earned the team the reputation of "Brazilians of Europe." Its squad also includes three Brazilian-born players — defender Pepe, midfielder Deco and striker Liedson.

While Deco has not recovered from a right hip injury, Pepe and Liedson are fit to play.

All three rose to stardom in the Portuguese league and became naturalized Portuguese when Brazil failed to give them an international call-up.

"They're Portuguese, as far as we're concerned," midfielder Tiago said. "They've brought quality to the squad. We're glad they're on our side."

Underscoring the cross-pollination between the two football powers, two members of the Brazil squad, Luisao and Ramires, play for Lisbon club Benfica.

"There is always a lot talked about when Brazil and Portugal play," Luisao said. "We will have to play at our best because they have a team with a lot of quality."

Brazil has won the World Cup five times, while Portugal's third place in 1966 is its best finish. Portugal also was a semifinalist four years ago in Germany, losing 1-0 to France.

Brazil has won 12 of the 18 games between the two countries but they have met just once at a World Cup, in 1966 when a Portugal team led by Eusebio beat Brazil and the South Americans were knocked out in the group phase.

However, the last time the two met, Brazil beat Portugal 6-2 in Sao Paulo.

Queiroz said his team still remembers that result.

"There is a question of pride. But there is no question of revenge or anything like that," he said. "There will be two great teams on the pitch. When two teams like Brazil and Portugal play, then anything can happen."

Ghana can go further in the World Cup after their second round qualification, midfielder Sulley Muntari said Wednesday.

Ghana became the only African side to progress through to the round of 16 despite a 1-0 loss to Germany on Wednesday.

Ghana went through on goal difference ahead of Australia, which beat Serbia 2-1 in a simultaneous match.

"We want to prolong our stay here," Muntari said. "We want to win every game. We want to reach far."

"This one is being hosted by an African country. And also remember that most of the boys in this current team were not there four years ago and they are getting a feel of it for the first time here. I'm very happy for them."

However coach Milan Rajevac knows Ghana will have to do something about its lack of attacking bite if it is to progress. Ghana's only two goals from three group games came from the penalty spot, despite twice playing against 10 men.

Muntari, whose uneasy relationship with Ghana officials almost resulted in him being sent home for abusing coach Rajevac following the 1-1 draw with Australia in their second group match, came on as a second-half substitute for the second time in the tournament.

Asked if Ghana is capable of at least reaching the semi-finals, which no African team has never done, Muntari said: "We want to do it for Africa. We want to break records."

Ghana will now meet Group C winners United States in the second round. The Africans beat the US in Germany in 2006.

"They are a very good side," Muntari said. "It's not going to be easy. We have to work extra hard to beat them."

The Ghana players had to wait for the confirmation of the Australia-Serbia result before celebrating. Fullback John Painstil and winger Andre Ayew went on a lap of honour around the stadium after the scoreboard showed that they had finished second.

"I was very excited and relieved," Painstil said. "When we were down 1-0, we were not thinking about that match between Australia and Serbia. We were trying to equalize."

Painstil agreed Ghana have to score from open play if they are to progress past the second round.

"We've been playing well, but it's high time we start taking our chances," Painstil said. "Today if we had taken our chances we would have beaten Germany 3-1."

The lack of goalscoring was of no concern to Ghana fans, who celebrated into the night after the team progressed.

Jubilation was put temporarily on hold as commentators calculated the final standings in Group D, before announcing the team was through to the knockout stages and would meet the U.S. in the round of 16.

Vuvuzelas were blown and the Accra Mall, where a large crowd had gathered to watch a screening of the match erupted in celebration, after a tense couple of hours when the streets of the normally buzzing capital were emptied.

Julius Adams, 23 a student in Accra said, "losing by a lone goal showed a lot of determination on their part."

Adwoa Yeboah, 19, a shop assistant said a win over the U.S. would prove that Ghana is a strong football nation.

"It has been a great match and l cannot fault any of the boys, they played their part and for the huge expectation that was placed on them, they have come out with flying colours," Yeboah said.

Aminu Abass, 38, was less than satisfied, saying Germany deserved to win the game.

"Our coach was not very tactical, he could have changed some of the players who were not playing well especially in the front," Abass said.

"l don't understand why he brought in Sulley Muntari at the closing stages, because this is a guy who could have scored for the country."

South Africa's players exited the World Cup with a mixture of pride and disappointment following a 2-1 win over France on Tuesday.

The bitter blow of becoming the first host to fail to advance from the first round was softened by victory over the former world champions, South Africa goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs said.

"We are still disappointed," Josephs said. "If we look at the performance we put in there and look back ... we could have done this in the second game and made it much easier for ourselves."

"But then again we have to look on the brighter side and be proud of the way the guys put in the effort today, for the nation and for the people that were right behind us from the start."

Captain Aaron Mokoena said his team could take heart from its World Cup performance as it signed off with a victory.

"A draw, a loss and a win. I don't think it's a bad result," Mokoena said. "It's mixed feelings for everyone that we couldn't make it through, but there are so many positives we can take from this."

After his final game in charge of Bafana Bafana, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira described how South Africa President Jacob Zuma had visited the team in the dressing room and told the players he was happy with the result and that "life goes on."

"I believe that the whole country is proud," Parreira said. "We are disappointed but I told my players put your head up, this is not a failure.

"What the boys did for me in these seven months of preparation, I have to say to them thank you very much," an emotional Parreira said. "I'm so happy with this occasion."

Midfielder Steven Pienaar said South Africa — which eventually lost out to Mexico on goal difference for the second qualifying place in Group A — had believed it could reach the next round even after the devastating 3-0 loss to Uruguay in its last game.

"You can't say that we didn't give our best," he said. "We pushed from the first minute.

"With football we brought our nation together and showed that we are one country ... we have to be proud of the team."

But striker Katlego Mphela, who scored one of the goals against France at Free State Stadium and was man of the match, said he was still haunted by a missed chance against Mexico in the tournament's opening game two weeks ago.

"I'm still thinking about it and it's killing me," Mphela said in reference to his shot that hit the post in the dying minutes of the 1-1 draw at Soccer City on June 11.

If that shot had just been a few inches to the right, it would have been South Africa — and not Mexico — heading to the last 16, and Mphela said it will take him a while to get over the miss.

"It was a World Cup, the biggest event in the world," the 25-year-old forward said. "I guess I can't beat myself up about it. It was a chance, I missed it."

Koman Coulibaly, a World Cup referee, has been benched for the next round to the coveted tournament.

Coulibaly executed a controversial call, which denied a potential game-winning basked for the United States (US) soccer team.

The Malian official was left off a list of referees assigned by FIFA for the third round of World Cup matches. While nothing has been confirmed, reports speculate that Coulibaly will not be activated for the rest of the tournament. 

Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda, the FIFA official in charge of officiating, did not comment on the issue. He also did not say anything about the negated US goal against Slovenia in last Friday’s contest, which ended in a 2-2 draw.