2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU
Super Eagles of Nigeria will from tomorrow confront other champions from other continents as the FIFA Confederations Cup gets underway in Brazil. A lot is expected from the Africa's king of soccer to prove why it is the best on the continent.
Again, Super Eagles' Coach, Stephen Keshi, would be put to test to also prove that his feat at the last Nations Cup in South Africa, where Nigeria won the African title, was not a fluke after all. He is expected to rekindle the magic that saw him brush aside tournament's favourites in South Africa to win the most coveted trophy on the continent with relatively unknown players.
Though the stake is not as high as the one at the Nations Cup, pride is, however, in the front burner with the coach carrying the hope of not only Nigeria, but the whole of Africa on his shoulders.
Although Keshi seems to have rated the Confederations Cup low to what he looks up to – the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, other coaches and countries' representatives are talking tough ahead of the continental champions' event. "It's an important competition," Coach Vicente del Bosque of Spain said.
"There are four world champions and an Olympic champion in the tournament. We have to have people who are absolutely delighted to be included in the squad," he added. Group A features Brazil, Japan, Mexico and Italy, while Group B has Spain, Uruguay, Nigeria and Tahiti.
The top two in each group will play in the semi-finals. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman, Rousseff, has visited the six Confederations Cup venues and boasted about the "beauty and modernity" of the stadia. "Many people did not think that we would be able to build these stadia before the Confederations Cup with FIFA standards," Rousseff said.
"But the workers who built them, the businessmen hired to do the work and all the segments of government involved have proved that Brazil is able to accept challenges and promptly fulfill undertakings." Already, Keshi has released the names of players that will represent Africa as it were in the competition.
And in line with his philosophy, he gave room to younger players, including six uncapped ones to be part of the squad, even as he dropped some of the player that helped him to win the Nations Cup earlier in the year. Tongues are already wagging over Keshi's decision, as the competition is not for starters, but for established players who would want to stamp their authority as the best.
But the 'Big Boss' has stuck to his decision, claiming that he would not be perturbed by the outcome of the Confederations Cup, as his interest is placed on qualifying the country for the 2014 World Cup. Again, the absence of Victor Moses and Emmanuel Emenike, the two most potent attacking forces in the Nigerian squad and the exclusion of some of the AFCON's finest legs and captain, Joseph Yobo, would definitely tell on the performance of Eagles at the Confederations Cup.
Though their absence had brought out the best of Ahmed Musa and others who had remained on the wings to prove themselves, it is obvious that most of the absentee established legs would be missed in Brazil. Necessity has placed responsibilities on the CSKA Moscow man and now, Musa makes the starting line-up as a key figure on the offensive.
Fresh from a terrific season as a league winner in Russia, he has the form and the ability to make a major impact at the competition in Brazil in order to cement his place in Keshi's scheme.
Musa's performance against Kenya must have lifted his profile in the national team and with the prospect of making wave at the World Cup on the horizon, he looks primed to grab the golden opportunity before him.
The Confederations Cup 2013 can give Brazil a major boost in her quest to win a sixth World Cup title next year. But off the field, the eight-team tournament will offer the first hint about where the country stands in its preparations for the main event in 2014. Brazil has won the last two Confederations Cup titles in 2005 and 2009.
And while expectations will be high for this month's tournament, it will not be anywhere near the pressure the team will face in the next 12 months when Brazil will try to avoid losing a second World Cup on home soil.
"Yes, it is a lot of responsibility, but a dream come true," Brazil striker, Neymar said. "You don't have to think that wearing the yellow shirt is a heavy burden. You have to wear it as if you were playing in your own yard. Just be happy."
At the Confederations Cup, Brazil will play alongside defending World Cup champion, Spain, Italy, Uruguay, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria and Tahiti. All these will bring to fore the real form of Neymar, Italy's striker, Mario Balotelli and Spain's midfield duo of Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. Nigeria will begin her Confederations Cup campaign against Tahiti on June 17 at Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte.
Three days later, the Super Eagles will line up against South American champion, Uruguay at the Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, before rounding off their preliminary campaign against world and European champion, Spain, at the Estadio Castelao.
Via: Sun News Online