Diego on hand for do-or-die bid

Diego Maradona is expected to be at Agentina's do-or-die match with Sweden in Miyagi on Wednesday after Japanese authorities granted him permission to enter the country despite their initial refusal because of his past convictions for drug abuse.

The Argentinian has been given special permission after his "legendary status in the football world" and "the infrequency of the World Cup" were taken into account.

Marcelo Bielsa's team are counting on the "handwriting of God" to act as their inspiration as they seek to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

Maradona has written an open letter of support to the team in one of the country's leading newspapers as they approach a match in which only victory can guarantee the pre-tournament favourites a place in phase two.

Proclaimed by Ole newspaper as the "Letter of God", Maradona, who confessed to sobbing after Friday's 1-0 defeat by England in Sapporo, told the players: "I'm on your side. . . Argentina needs you and I have huge faith in you. I know you are going to hoist our blue and white flag as I once did. I want you to know I will never abandon you."

Bielsa's team, still licking their wounds after the England result, believe it will act as an inspiration. "It means a lift. He's a legend, the great-est idol we have in Argentina," said midfielder Pablo Aimar, a second-half substitute against England who is now expected to be in the starting line-up against Sweden.

Aimar's expected presence, though, could yet mean that Juan Sebastian Veron, who made way for the young Valencia star on Friday, is relegated to the substitutes' bench.

Alternatively, Bielsa could be planning to use the pair together, pushing the Manchester United man back into a deeper midfield role in place of Diego Simeone. Yesterday, he tried out Veron in that position in a reserve match at the Argentines' training camp in Naraha.