Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari named an unchanged side as he sent out the five-time world champions for their Confederations Cup opener in Group A Saturday against Japan in Brasilia. Midfielder Paulinho took his place despite having been an injury doubt before the game after recent ankle trouble, the Corinthians man starting alongside Luiz Gustavo. Fred was in attack looking for his sixth goal in seven internationals after recovering from a cracked rib.

Italy and Mexico will both be looking for an upturn in recent fortunes when they open their Confederations Cup campaigns against each other in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. Italy's last outing was a 2-2 friendly draw with minnows Haiti on Tuesday that coach Cesare Prandelli described as "embarrassing", while Mexico were booed off after a goalless draw with Costa Rica on the same day. The Italian stalemate followed a 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic in a World Cup qualifier, but Mexico's situation is far more troubling.

Striker Mario Balotelli is a doubt for Italy's Confederations Cup opener against Mexico on Sunday after a thigh injury cut short his training session, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Friday. The AC Milan striker, 22, complained of pain behind his right thigh as coach Cesare Prandelli put his side through their paces at the Joao Havelange Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. "During training this afternoon at Havelange stadium, Azzurri striker Mario Balotelli felt a pain in his right biceps femoris...," the FIGC said in a statement to journalists.

Collated results from 2014 World Cup European Zone qualifiers played on Tuesday: Group B At Copenhagen Denmark 0 Armenia 4 (Movsisyan 1, 59, Ozbiliz 19, Mkhitaryan 82) Group C At Solna, Sweden Sweden 2 (Ibrahimovic 36, 82-pen) Faroe Islands 0 Group I At Minsk Belarus 1 (Verkhovtsov 85) Finland 1 (Pukki 24) afp