Having played one game each in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament, Uruguay and Nigeria enjoyed different levels of success in their first 90-plus minutes of action. Led by a barrage of goals that completely overwhelmed their opponents from start to finish, Nigeria blitzed past Tahiti 6-1 in their opening contest.
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While the Nigerians were enjoying consistent success on the pitch, Uruguay found themselves in a grueling game with defending World Cup champion Spain. Trailing 2-0, the Uruguayans didn't notch their first and only goal until the 88th-minute, dropping the opener 2-1 to an extremely talented Spanish squad. A win for Nigeria will put them into the Cup semifinals while their opponents will be looking to stay alive with a victory of their own.
When and Where to Watch Confederations Cup Match
With a big 3 points on the line for both teams, Uruguay and Nigeria will do battle on Thursday, June 20th at 6:00pm, EDT. Broadcast coverage will be provided by both the ESPN and UniMas television networks with an on-line live stream available through WatchESPN. Pregame coverage will begin at 5:30pm, EDT on the ESPN outlets.
Team Preview - Uruguay
The Uruguayan nationals struggled in their opening match against Spain, never able to find an offensive rhythm while surrendering 2 goals to the defending World champions. Luis Suarez notched the only tally with a free kick in the 88th-minute but his score was merely window dressing since Uruguay couldn't dial it up in the 90-plus minutes of action. Despite the slow start in Confederations Cup play, Uruguay is still very much alive in this tournament and in World Cup qualifying competition.
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Currently sitting fifth in the South America group with 16 points, Uruguay would enter a playoff with the Round 5 winner of the Asia group to determine a spot in next summer's World Cup IF the standings remain the same come the end of the qualifying stages. 5 points behind both Ecuador and Chile while also sitting 10 points behind group-leading Argentina, Uruguay has a lot of work to do if they're to climb up the standings in WC qualifying play.
Focused on the present CONFED Cup however, Uruguay's head coach wasn't totally thrown off by the recent loss to Spain but he does know how important the upcoming match against a talented Nigeria team will be if they're to advance further in the tournament.
''If Spain thrashed Italy and Germany, why should they not beat Uruguay," manager Oscar Tabarez said to reporters. "They are a team that imposes their conditions and are playing in a tournament that they have unfinished business with. The next match, against Nigeria, is the most important of all, if we win then I think we have a chance of being in the semifinals.''
The play of Suarez and goal-scorers Edinson Cavani and Diego Forlan will be crucial to Uruguay's success against a Nigerian team that has shown the ability to score and defend. In their last 13 matches, Uruguay has surrendered 23 goals while only scoring 19 so their ability to find balance and control possession - something they failed to do against Spain - will be vital in their advancement chances.
Team Preview - Nigeria
Nigeria started the 2013 Confederations Cup in dominant fashion, disposing of an inferior Tahiti team by a 6-1 margin. The African champions were in complete control on both ends of the field, notching tallies at the 5', 10', 26', 69', 76' and 80-minute marks. Leading the charge from start to finish was star forward Nnamdi Oduamadi, a 22-year-old native of Lagos, Nigeria making his second go-round with the national team.
Scoring his first goal at the 10-minute mark, Oduamadi set himself up for a big day on the pitch as he proved to be too much for a Tahiti team making their first appearance in a senior FIFA tournament. Leading 2-0, the forward notched another tally at the 26-minute mark and then capped off the contest with a hat trick in the 76th-minute as Nigeria went on to take an easy victory.
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Earning 3 points after the big victory, Nigeria's test certainly becomes harder as they're set to face a Uruguay team in need of a win to keep their advancement hopes alive. While a victory will send Nigeria to the semifinals by way of accumulating 6 points in 2 matches, head coach Stephen Keshi still recognizes there is room for improvement, even if his squad hasn't dropped a match since falling 1-0 to Peru back in 2012.
"Everyone's come here to win and Uruguay are planning right now how to beat us," Keshi said to reporters. "We need to improve and focus on the job in hand."
Currently leading Africa's Group F in World Cup qualifying, the Nigerians have clearly shown the ability to compete on the international stage. A total of 9 points has them two ahead of Malawi and 4 in front of Namibia in the four-team group and if they keep playing the way they have been the last 15-plus matches, Nigeria should be a lock for the 2014 World Cup and a serious contender for the current Confederations Cup.
Continued support from previous goal-scorers in Nicolas Vallar and Uwa Echiejile could do wonders for the Nigerians if they're able to stay on point. Riding an 18-game unbeaten streak, the upcoming test against Uruguay on Thursday could be the toughest yet considering the Uruguayans will play with a sense of desperation.
Wrap-Up
With Nigeria looking to advance and Uruguay fighting to stay alive, be sure to catch all the action in this Confederations Cup match on Thursday, June 20th. The contest is set to begin at 6:00pm, EDT with broadcast coverage provided by the ESPN and UniMas networks.
An on-line live stream can also be found by visiting WatchESPN. Pre-match coverage begins at 5:30pm, EDT.
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