{"id":5361,"date":"2013-06-22T17:25:20","date_gmt":"2013-06-22T17:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigeria-news\/confederation-cup-brazil-to-meet-italy-tonight\/"},"modified":"2013-06-22T17:25:20","modified_gmt":"2013-06-22T17:25:20","slug":"confederation-cup-brazil-to-meet-italy-tonight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/confederation-cup-brazil-to-meet-italy-tonight\/","title":{"rendered":"Confederation Cup: Brazil to meet Italy tonight"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By CitizensPlatform<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Neymar and Mario Balotelli will be attracting most of the attention when Brazil and Italy play to decide the Group A winner at the Confederations Cup on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The strikers are two of the tournament’s biggest stars and have played up to expectations so far, scoring two goals each in the first two matches.<\/p>\n

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said on Friday it will be “nice to see them together” when the teams play in the northeastern city of Salvador.<\/p>\n

Brazil and Italy have already secured a spot in the next round. The group winners will probably avoid Spain in the semifinals of the warm-up tournament, although both coaches are downplaying the significance of delaying a matchup against the World Cup champions.<\/p>\n

There was a lot of hype surrounding Neymar and Balotelli ahead of the Confederations Cup, and they have been decisive for their national teams so far.<\/p>\n

Balotelli scored a remarkable winner when Italy defeated Mexico 2-1 in its opener last Sunday, then converted a penalty kick that helped the Italians edge Japan 4-3 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Neymar netted an outstanding goal from outside the area to open the scoring in Brazil’s 3-0 rout of Japan in the tournament’s opening match last Saturday, then had another remarkable strike to put the hosts on the board first in the 2-0 victory over Mexico on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The newly signed Barcelona forward also set up the second goal against Mexico after a nifty move past two Mexican defenders inside the area.<\/p>\n

“The problem with Neymar, as with all great players, is that you can’t stop him just by marking well,” Prandelli said. “You need to do a good job limiting the spaces.”<\/p>\n

Neymar said he became friends with Balotelli after Brazil played Italy to a 2-2 draw in a friendly in Geneva earlier this year. Brazilian media even reported that the players are planning to travel together in Brazil after the end of the competition.<\/p>\n

Brazil and Italy are tied with six points atop Group A, but the hosts are ahead on goal difference and can secure first place with a draw on Saturday. Italy has to beat Brazil to likely avoid Spain, which is leading Group B.<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigeria News. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: Citizens Platform<\/p>\n

DisNaija.Com<\/b> publishes regular posts on Nigeria News,<\/a> Nigerian Newspapers,<\/a> Online Nigeria Gist.<\/a><\/p>\n

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