Brazil look for Silva lining, Argentina to replace di Maria

RIO DE JANEIRO: Hosts Brazil are waiting anxiously to see whether FIFA will rescind the suspension of their captain Thiago Silva for Tuesday´s semi-final with Germany while Argentina must make up for the sizeable absence of Angel di Maria for their clash with the Dutch.

If Brazil´s appeal against Silva´s booking in the bruising quarter-final with Colombia -- which saw Colombian playmaker James Rodriguez get particularly rough treatment which went unpunished -- is successful his return would compensate a little for the absence through injury of their star player Neymar.

The card against Silva was "unjustly shown" and the defender should therefore be allowed to face the Germans in Belo Horizonte, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said in a statement.

They also want FIFA to punish Colombian Juan Zuniga, whose knee in Neymar´s back fractured a vertebrae and ended the Barcelona striker´s tournament.

Despite the huge gap left by Neymar, German veteran midfielder Bastia Schweinsteigger believes it could prove a focal point for the rest of the team to rally around.

Schweinsteiger, who will be hoping to have a happier result than the previous two World Cup semi-finals he has played in, like his coach Joachim Loew has concerns over the Brazilians robust approach.

Argentina approach their first semi-final since 1990 having won all their games by one goal margins and with Lionel Messi having scored four of their goals.

However, the loss of di Maria is an enormous blow to them as he has been impressive in all their games and scored the only goal in their last 16 clash with Switzerland which ironically was seen as his least effective performance.

On the plus side Argentina say that striker Sergio Aguero is fit to return after a leg muscle problem ruled him out of the match with Switzerland.

Argentinian hardman midfielder Javier Mascherano said it was a blow to lose di Maria but the sudden return to form of Gonzalo Higuain, who scored the only goal in Saturday´s 1-0 win over Belgium, could compensate for that.

One thing Mascherano will hope to avoid is penalties and having to cope with Dutch reserve ´keeper Tim Krul´s gamesmanship before taking the spot kicks. Krul, who saved two penalties when coach Louis van Gaal sensationally sent him on to replace number one Jasper Cillessen for the shootout, denies he overstepped the mark. (AFP)