Czech Republic striker Milan Baros returned to full training yesterday after struggling with a foot injury and could play in tomorrow's Group E match against Italy.
"There is a chance Milan Baros will be fit for the Italy game," coach Karel Brueckner told reporters.
The return of Baros would be greatly welcomed by the Czech team, who are much depleted ahead of the match, which they need to win to guarantee a place in the knock-out stage.
Baros, top scorer at Euro 2004, had not trained properly since sustaining the injury in a June 3 friendly and it had looked as though he might not play in the tournament at all.
Allegiances tested
National allegiances will be put to the ultimate test when Australia play Croatia tomorrow. They may be playing for different teams but for many of the players, the result is sure to produce bittersweet emotions because of the ancestral links between the two countries.
Seven members of the Australian squad, captain Mark Viduka, Jason Culina, Tony Popovic, Josip Skoko, Ante Covic, Zeljko Kalac and Marco Bresciano, were born in Australia but have Croatian roots.
Three of the Croatians, Josip Simunic, Joe Didulica and Anthony Seric, were born and raised in Australia, but chose to play for the land where their parents were born.
There are at least 52,000 Croatian-born residents in Australia, although the real figure is considered to be much higher because it does not include people born in the former Yugoslavia.
'Time for Italy to get cynical'
Captain Fabio Cannavaro said the Azzurri needed to return to traditional 'cynical' football if they wanted to succeed in the World Cup.
"We have to start to be the cynical Italians," he said. "The secret to going a long way in the tournament is to rediscover some of the typical defensive approach found in Italian football culture."
Italy go into tomorrow's final game in Group E against Czech Republic in Hamburg needing a point to secure their passage to the second round. Cannavaro said Juventus team-mate Pavel Nedved would be the main threat from the Czechs.
"I haven't spoken to him yet but I will give him a call," Cannavaro said. "I have a good relationship with him and we had a laugh about this match... I'm sure we will wind each other up some more."
Fontaine calls for revolution
France should be brave enough to rebel against the defensive tactics of their coach Raymond Domenech and go on the attack against Togo on Friday, said Just Fontaine. The 1998 champions need a two-goal win to be sure of progressing after opening draws with Switzerland and South Korea but Fontaine feared Domenech's instincts were denying the French team firepower up front.
"Only a mutiny could force Domenech to change his mind," Fontaine, who scored a record 13 goals in the 1958 World Cup with France, said.
"When Domenech has an idea in his head there is no stopping him... there should be someone to convince him."
Simic breaks Croatia caps record
Croatia's World Cup right-back Dario Simic was given a cake by coach Zlatko Kranjcar to celebrate breaking his country's appearance record.
The 30-year-old defender won his 82nd cap in the 0-0 draw with Japan on Sunday, passing Robert Jarni on the all-time list. Record scorer Davor Suker, with 69 caps and 45 goals, is third.
Captain Niko Kovac also pushed into sixth place on 60 caps.
Gyan's ban to stay
FIFA has no plans to reverse a yellow card which rules Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan out of tomorrow's crucial match with the US.
Gyan got the yellow card for taking a penalty too early in the 2-0 win over the Czech Republic on Saturday. The Ghanaians appealed for clemency on the grounds that Gyan had heard a whistle blown in the stands before he took the kick.
FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler confirmed a letter had been received from the Ghanaian team, but added that the appeal had been turned down.
Kewell cleared to play
Australia forward Harry Kewell has been cleared by FIFA to play in their final Group F match against Croatia tomorrow after he was reported for confronting the referee after their 2-0 defeat by Brazil.
Kewell, who came on as a substitute in the loss to the world champions on Sunday, was seen waving his finger at German referee Markus Merk after the final whistle.
Kewell was not booked by the referee but Merk put the incident in his official report to FIFA.
Kewell said: "I think I was just overheated at the moment, it was just one of those things. It is the first time I have ever done something like that. It was just a big, big game for us... it was an overheated moment for me."