Portugal will be without Abel Xavier and Paulo Sousa for the second game in a row, but will have greater concern over the form of a number of their players.
A series of errors cost them their first match, won 3-2 by the USA.
It remains to be seen whether goalkeeper Vitor Baia will keep his place while defenders Fernando Couto and Jorge Costa also made mistakes.
There is continued speculation that Fifa World Player of the Year Luis Figo is still suffering ankle problems after a late season injury.
However, he insists that he will find his form and inspire Antonio Oliveira's team to victory on the coach's 50th birthday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This match was supposed to be the group decider but is instead a sudden death World Cup knockout match.
Poland's Jacek Bak will miss the match with a recurring back injury.
Tomasz Klos is expected to come into the defence with Tomasz Hajto moving into midfield.
Coach Jerzy Engel is also expected to switch Nurnberg's Jasek Krzynowek from the left to the right side of midfield.
Eintracht Frankfurt forward Pawel Kryszalowicz could also get a recall to partner Panathinaikos striker Emmanuel Olisadebe in attack.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Club versus country
The following clubmates could find themselves facing each other in this match:-
Liverpool
Abel Xavier (Por) and Jerzy Dudek (Pol)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATCH PREVIEW STATISTICS
WC = World Cup
WC Q = World Cup Qualifier
EC Q = European Championship Qualifier
F = Friendly International
Gp = Group
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIXTURE HISTORY
DATE COMP MATCH RESULT
16 Oct 1976 WC Q Portugal 0-2 Poland
29 Oct 1977 WC Q Poland 1-1 Portugal
23 Sep 1981 F Portugal 2-0 Poland
10 Oct 1982 EC Q Portugal 2-1 Poland
28 Oct 1984 EC Q Poland 0-1 Portugal
07 Jun 1986 WC Gp F Portugal 0-1 Poland
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MATCH SHORTS
Poland have never failed to get through the group stages at their five previous World Cups.
Both countries have qualified for the first time since 1986.
Portugal and Poland played each other at that 1986 World Cup with Poland winning 1-0. The goalscorer was Wlodzimierz Smolarek. They haven't played each other since.
In all, they have met six times with Portugal winning three and Poland two. Only one of these games was a friendly.
Five players from these teams have received yellow cards at this World Cup. Beto and Petit (Portugal), and Piotr Swierczewski, Tomasz Hajto and Jacek Kryznowek (Poland) are the quintet.
Hugo Viana will be the youngest player to represent Portugal at a World Cup if he plays. Paulo Futre holds the record.
Jacek Zielinski will be the oldest player to play for Poland at a World Cup if he plays in this match. He will beat the record of J?zef Mlynarczyk by two years.
Portugal have only won against China in 2002.
Poland's three victories this year have all come against the minnows of European football - Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland and Estonia.
Portugal have never drawn a match at a World Cup.
Poland and Portugal have both lost all of their last three World Cup matches. These are the worst current runs of any of the teams competing in Japan and Korea.
Poland haven't scored in their last three World Cup matches - they were beaten 3-0 by England and 4-0 by Brazil in 1986 before losing 2-0 to South Korea here.
Portugal have scored at least once in their last 24 competitive matches.
A series of errors cost them their first match, won 3-2 by the USA.
It remains to be seen whether goalkeeper Vitor Baia will keep his place while defenders Fernando Couto and Jorge Costa also made mistakes.
There is continued speculation that Fifa World Player of the Year Luis Figo is still suffering ankle problems after a late season injury.
However, he insists that he will find his form and inspire Antonio Oliveira's team to victory on the coach's 50th birthday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This match was supposed to be the group decider but is instead a sudden death World Cup knockout match.
Poland's Jacek Bak will miss the match with a recurring back injury.
Tomasz Klos is expected to come into the defence with Tomasz Hajto moving into midfield.
Coach Jerzy Engel is also expected to switch Nurnberg's Jasek Krzynowek from the left to the right side of midfield.
Eintracht Frankfurt forward Pawel Kryszalowicz could also get a recall to partner Panathinaikos striker Emmanuel Olisadebe in attack.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Club versus country
The following clubmates could find themselves facing each other in this match:-
Liverpool
Abel Xavier (Por) and Jerzy Dudek (Pol)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATCH PREVIEW STATISTICS
WC = World Cup
WC Q = World Cup Qualifier
EC Q = European Championship Qualifier
F = Friendly International
Gp = Group
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIXTURE HISTORY
DATE COMP MATCH RESULT
16 Oct 1976 WC Q Portugal 0-2 Poland
29 Oct 1977 WC Q Poland 1-1 Portugal
23 Sep 1981 F Portugal 2-0 Poland
10 Oct 1982 EC Q Portugal 2-1 Poland
28 Oct 1984 EC Q Poland 0-1 Portugal
07 Jun 1986 WC Gp F Portugal 0-1 Poland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MATCH SHORTS
Poland have never failed to get through the group stages at their five previous World Cups.
Both countries have qualified for the first time since 1986.
Portugal and Poland played each other at that 1986 World Cup with Poland winning 1-0. The goalscorer was Wlodzimierz Smolarek. They haven't played each other since.
In all, they have met six times with Portugal winning three and Poland two. Only one of these games was a friendly.
Five players from these teams have received yellow cards at this World Cup. Beto and Petit (Portugal), and Piotr Swierczewski, Tomasz Hajto and Jacek Kryznowek (Poland) are the quintet.
Hugo Viana will be the youngest player to represent Portugal at a World Cup if he plays. Paulo Futre holds the record.
Jacek Zielinski will be the oldest player to play for Poland at a World Cup if he plays in this match. He will beat the record of J?zef Mlynarczyk by two years.
Portugal have only won against China in 2002.
Poland's three victories this year have all come against the minnows of European football - Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland and Estonia.
Portugal have never drawn a match at a World Cup.
Poland and Portugal have both lost all of their last three World Cup matches. These are the worst current runs of any of the teams competing in Japan and Korea.
Poland haven't scored in their last three World Cup matches - they were beaten 3-0 by England and 4-0 by Brazil in 1986 before losing 2-0 to South Korea here.
Portugal have scored at least once in their last 24 competitive matches.
