Poland will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run to five games when they host Uruguay at PGE Arena in Gdansk. La Celeste, on the other hand, hope to finally put an end to a five-match winless run, with boss Oscar Tabarez naming a star-studded line-up for the friendly match in Poland.

Jakub Blaszczykowski is back

Despite the huge support from the stands and an extremely easy group they had been placed in, Poland failed to progress from their Euro 2012 group, proving they still lack the quality and international experience to mix it up with the best of them. The team have been showing some improvement under new boss Waldemar Fornalik, having taken five points from first three 2014 World Cup qualifiers, but the friendly match against Uruguay will be a real test for them. The new boss was faced with quite a few withdrawals before this clash, although the good news winger Jakub Blaszczykowski finally returns after recovering from an ankle injury. However, given that he has yet to return into action for Borussia Dortmund, it is highly unlikely he will play more than a few minutes against Uruguay. With other key players struggling for form at the moment, Poland will be in for a difficult task against very good Uruguay side.

Rafal Murawski, Maciej Rybus, Artur Sobiech and Jakub Wawrzyniak all miss out through injury.

Uruguay chasing a victory

The 2011 Copa America title certainly served as a major boost for Uruguay as the team impressed at the start of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, taking 11 points from first 5 games. However, la Celeste then suffered a major dip in form and could only pick up one point from next four, although it is important to note three of those games were difficult away trips. Boss Oscar Tabarez is now determined to help the team return to winning ways before the qualifiers resume in March, which is exactly why he named such a strong squad for the Poland friendly. With the likes of Diego Godin, Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani and Alvaro Pereira all in the side, La Celeste look well prepared for what awaits them in Gdansk. Diego Forlan is missing, but he is no longer considered a first choice striker in the side.

Strikers Sebastian Abreu and Diego Forlan miss out as La Liga-based Gonzalo Castro and Carlos Stuani are given a chance to impress.

Verdict

A tight game can be expected between two quality sides, but I cannot help but feel Uruguay are much closer to a win. We all know how seriously South American sides take friendly games and bigger motivation might just prove to be crucial in this clash.

Top pick: Uruguay Draw no bet   1.93 (37/40) @ BetVictor

Alternative pick 1: Away win   2.75 (7/4) @ BetFred

Alternative pick 2: Under 2.5 goals   1.67 (2/3) @ Paddy Power