Hour Of Reckoning For Brazil

[Folami David]

One year out from the World Cup in Brazil, where victory for the hosts is being seen as a must, an inexperienced Selecao featuring young prodigy Neymar are hoping to take advantage of the Confederations Cup to fine-tune their preparations.
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The five-time World Cup winners are hoping to go as far as possible in the competition, which starts on June 15, to win the traditional curtain-raiser to football's biggest prize for the fourth time.
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Recalled last December to lead the charge for 2014 glory, master tactician Luiz Felipe Scolari has cast aside 30-somethings such as Kaka and Ronaldinho and is banking on youth to overcome a lack of match practice and an existential crisis.
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For Brazil's young talent, notably Neymar, who recently completed a move to Barcelona, and Chelsea's creative midfielder Oscar, the Confederations Cup is a unique opportunity to get experience and confidence for the World Cup.
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The average age of the squad is 26 years and six months. In 2010, the team coached by Dunga, at the World Cup in South Africa was much more experienced.
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Currently, only four players retained by Scolari have previously contested a World Cup: Fred, Julio Cesar, Thiago Silva and Dani Alves.
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In addition, 11 of the 23-man squad play at Brazilian clubs in a change from years gone by, when the South American giant struggled to hold on to its young players.
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Both Neymar and Fernando were still at Brazilian clubs – Santos and Gremio respectively – when Scolari announced his Confederations Cup squad on May 14.
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The former left for Barca just days later, then Fernando became the latest Brazilian to sign for Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.