PREVIEW-Soccer-Friendly spotlight on Parreira and Maradona

By Brian Homewood

BERNE, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Carlos Alberto Parreira will make his second debut as coach of 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa on Saturday while Argentina coach Diego Maradona will also be in the spotlight.

Parreira resumes his role when South Africa host Japan a friendly in Port Elizabeth while Maradona's team visit Spain, one day before the volatile Argentina coach faces a disciplinary hearing which could sideline him from part of the 2010 World Cup.

England will attempt to beat Brazil for the first time in nearly 20 years when they meet in Qatar in another of Saturday's friendlies, which are little more than a sideshow to the battle for the final places in South Africa next year.

Another leading match will see Italy host Netherlands in Pescara to show solidarity with the Abruzzo region hit by an earthquake that killed 297 people in April and left thousands homeless.

Slovakia host a United States team weakened by domestic club commitments and Denmark entertain South Korea in other meetings between teams who have already booked their places in South Africa.

Germany have cancelled their match at home to Chile because of the death of goalkeeper Robert Enke, who committed suicide on Tuesday.

Parreira took over for the first time as South Africa coach in 2007 but quit last year after his wife fell ill.

He returned last month to replace fellow Brazilian Joel Santana, who lost eight of his last nine games in charge -- with only a 1-0 win over Madagascar in a hastily-arranged friendly interrupting the sequence.