Australia and Uruguay meet again, as they did in 2001 when the South Americans took their place in Japan and South Korea with a 3-1 aggregate win.

Trinidad and Tobago face Bahrain, with both teams attempting to qualify for their first ever World Cup finals - as are Slovakia who play Spain.

Highly-fancied Czech Republic meet Norway, while Switzerland face Turkey.

As you would expect with such a prize on offer, tensions are high ahead of the first round of the two-legged ties.

None more so than in the clash between Australia and Uruguay.

Six members of the current Uruguay squad were part of their country's previous success, including right-sided defender Dario Rodriguez.

He is expecting, and relishing, the prospect of another bruising encounter.

He predicted: "It will be a very closely contested game, and it will also be physical."

The heat surrounding the tie hardly needs turning up, with Australia still harbouring a grudge from 2001 when their players were spat at and abused by Uruguay fans.

Football Federation Australia chief executive John O'Neill has stated his players will not hesitate to walk off if there is any crowd trouble.

And he decided his team would prepare for the game in neighbouring Argentina.

There has also been a row over the date and kick off time which Uruguay had wanted to change for their benefit.

It has served to further rankle Australia, who believe they should already have qualified for Germany as Oceania winners.

Slovakia coach Dusan Galis insists his team will have to perform at the very top of their game to overcome Spain.

However, Galis is determined his side will compete strongly and raise awareness of their country.

He vowed: "We have strong opponents but we are going to do everything in our power so that everyone who knows nothing about Slovakia will remember us."

But Spain's Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes sees only one outcome.

He said: "We are the better team and we are going to prove it.

"I am convinced we are going to score goals, and a 2-0 scoreline would be ideal to take to Slovakia."

Norway, too, know they will be rated underdogs against the Czech Republic who are ranked fourth in the world by Fifa.

Yet Norway midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen fancies his side's chances.

"It's two big games against the Czech Republic but we have beaten big teams before and we will do it again," insisted the 24-year-old Blackburn Rovers winger.

Czech coach has been boosted by Juventus star Pavel Nedved, who has ended a self-imposed 16 months international exile.

"I have a good feeling about Pavel's return," admitted Bruckner.

If Switzerland's application can match their attitude, they will have a good chance of keeping alive their tie with Turkey after the first leg.

Striker Alexander Frei revealed: "We'll be treating these two matches like World Cup finals.

"We'll have to pull out all the stops to give ourselves breathing space for the away fixture."

Turkey have lost only once to the Swiss - a 2-1 defeat in Istanbul back in December 1994.

Perhaps that explains why, if Turkey coach Fatih Terim is to be believed, the Swiss media have been concentrating on gaining an advantage off the field.

He complained: "They have been trying to stir the atmosphere up with their stories since the tie was drawn.

"They have taken the path of provoking us by writing about everything apart from football."

Bahrain coach Luka Peruzovic has left his players in no doubt what is required of them by axing striker Naser Duaij for the match with Trinidad and Tobago.

Duaij had allegedly put on too much weight since the play-off against Uzbekistan last month.

And Peruzovic said: "This is a decisive moment in the history of this nation and I have no intent of gambling.

"Only the players who were fully fit and ready to go were selected."

Trinidad and Tobago's former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke realises how much his country has achieved to get this far.

He told BBC Sport: "It is an absolutely massive game for us, they both are. It's an amazing time for any country, let alone our tiny little country in the Caribbean.

"It's an amazing achievement just to be where we are but for us the job is not done yet."

Source: BBC Sport