So still no sign of the Brazil this country wants and needs then, rather signs that won’t take the sharpness off nerves before the real stuff starts against Chile at the weekend.

Eric-Maxime Choupo-Moting is likely to remain a Hamburg player until the end of the season after his transfer to Cologne failed to go through due to a problematic fax machine.

THE NETHERLANDS made it three wins from as many Group E matches with victory in their dead rubber against Cameroon in Cape Town.

CAMEROON coach Paul Le Guen could not hide his disappointment following his side’s 1-0 defeat by Japan in their Group E opener.

Japan 1 Cameroon 0