Rivaldo, Cafu to miss Brazil qualifier

By Brian Homewood

Rio de Janeiro - Brazil's top player Rivaldo will miss Tuesday's World Cup qualifier away to Colombia on Tuesday because of injury, coach Wanderley Luxemburgo said on Saturday.

Right-back Cafu also pulled out on Saturday, becoming the fifth member of the original squad to drop out through injury and creating more headaches for the beleaguered Luxemburgo.

Corinthians striker Edilson, who was axed on the eve of the Copa America last year for disciplinary reasons and had been left in the cold since, was called in to replace Rivaldo while Edu of Sao Paulo will substitute for Cafu.

"After Rivaldo, Edilson is the second best Brazilian player in this position at the moment," said Luxemburgo. "He has been playing well and deserves this opportunity."

Luxemburgo is already unhappy about the reduction in time he can have his squad together.

Fifa ruled earlier this month that for next week's games, clubs need release South American players for national team duty four days beforehand and not five as previously.

The coach has complained that his squad will assemble on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, travel to Bogota on Monday and play the Colombians on Tuesday in their opening World Cup qualifier.

They are likely to have only one training session before the match.

"This situation is unprecedented for a World Cup qualifier," Luxemburgo said last week.

Luxemburgo has already lost the services of central defender Roque Junior (Palmeiras), midfielder Juninho (Vasco da Gama) and Athirson (Flamengo).

They have been replaced by Cacapa (Atletico Mineiro), Flavio Conceicao (Deportivo Coruna) and Ricardinho (Corinthians).

To complicate matters further, the match will be played at altitude, the Colombian capital lying at 2,600 meters above sea level.

Revised squad

Goalkeepers - Marcos (Palmeiras), Dida (Corinthians)

Defenders - Aldair, Antonio Carlos (AS Roma), Evanilson (Borussia Dortmund), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid), Cacapa (Atletico Mineiro)

Midfielders - Emerson, Ze Roberto (Bayer Leverkusen), Vampeta (Corinthians), Alex (Palmeiras),Flavio Conceicao (Deportivo Coruna), Edu (Sao Paulo), Ricardinho (Corinthians)

Forwards - Elber (Bayern Munich), Jardel (Porto), Ronaldo Assis (Gremio), Edilson (Corinthians) - Reuters