Injured Josue leaves Brazil squad

The Brazilian Football Confederation said in a statement on its website on Tuesday that Josue would have keyhole surgery on the knee in Germany.

Brazil, who lead the South American group, visit fourth-placed Argentina on Sept. 5 in Rosario and host Chile, who are second, in Salvador four days later.

The teams finishing in the top four places, which at present also include Paraguay, qualify for the 2010 finals in South Africa. The fifth-placed team go into a playoff.