RUSTENBURG, South Africa: Mexico and Uruguay need only a draw in their Group A match Tuesday to qualify for the next round of the World Cup, so both may choose to field more defensive lineups.
Mexico and Uruguay each have four points, while South Africa and France both have one point apiece. So, both France and the host nation will be eliminated from the World Cup if Mexico and Uruguay draw.
The biggest decision Mexico coach Javier Aguirre will have to make for Tuesday’s match at Royal Bafokeng Stadium is who will be in his forward line.
Uruguay, meanwhile, was talking tough before the match.
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez announced Sunday that the team’s starting lineup will be the same as the one used in the win over South Africa.
Forwards Diego Forlan, who scored twice and set up another goal, and Luis Suarez will lead the attack.
France and South Africa head into their final World Cup group game on Tuesday desperately trying to save national pride, and with only an outside chance of qualifying for the next round.
Neither has won a game yet, and both have the weight of their nations on their shoulders.
Both teams must win to stand a chance of qualifying, while hoping that Mexico and Uruguay do not draw Group A’s simultaneous other game.
Victory is perhaps even more paramount for France, whose reputation has been stained by two days of turmoil which exposed huge rifts within the squad.
"There is no authority left in the French team.
There’s no pilot in the airplane," former France defender Bixente Lizarazu said in a scathing assessment of Domenech on French television.
"We’re in a lunatic asylum at the moment, I can’t wait to be done with the French team so that we can look ahead to the real World Cup, the one which interests us."
The tension is so unbearable between the players, Domenech, team officials, politicians and media, that only a win can save any face. The squabbling has even brought to the attention of President Nicolas Sarkozy, and could yet continue.
South Africa will be missing goalkeeper Itumeleg Khune because of the red card he received for tripping Uruguay forward Luis Suarez, giving away a penalty.
Nigeria may have lost both its games so far at the World Cup, but a win over South Korea on Tuesday could still see the Africans make it through to the round of 16.
The Nigerians are eager to make up for their 2-1 loss to Greece, in a game turned by the 33rd-minute expulsion of Nigeria midfielder Sani Kaita for a senseless sideline foul when he kicked out at an opponent.
Kaita has publicly apologized over the incident that let the Greeks back in the game.
Nigeria is among the African teams that have disappointed at a World Cup in which they were expected to shine on home soil. The African teams have only one win between them from 12 games.
The Koreans are playing in their seventh consecutive World Cup but have never made it out of their group except for when they co-hosted the tournament in 2002 and they reached the semifinals.
