Top teams meet at Confederations Cup
KAZAN, RUSSIA Two of the top contenders for the Confederations Cup title are meeting early in the tournament, with Portugal and Mexico making their Group A debut Sunday in Kazan.
It will be European champion Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo in top form, taking on Gold Cup winner Mexico in a game likely to decide the group winner.
“It’s a high-profile match,” Mexico forward Hirving Lozano said.
“It’s good that we get to play it right now, in our first game. Both teams have great players, it will be a tough match.”
Germany is the top-ranked team in the eight-nation tournament at No. 3, but it came to Russia with a second-string squad that has only three players from the team that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Chile is ranked fourth, but lacks the same tradition as Portugal and Mexico and has struggled in South American qualifying.
Host Russia, ranked 63rd in the world, opens Group A play Saturday against New Zealand in St. Petersburg. Group B has Germany, Chile, Australia and Cameroon.
The Confederations Cup is the main warm-up event for the 2018 World Cup. It is played by the continental champions plus the host nation and the World Cup winner.
RONALDO’S FORM
Ronaldo was peaking when he ended his season with Real Madrid and now is looking to continue his good form with the national team in Russia.
“Ronaldo is motivated,” young Portugal forward Andre Silva said. “He is taking this competition very seriously and is fully focused on training and on the match against Mexico.”
Ronaldo has scored 18 goals in his last 11 matches, including two in Portugal’s 3-0 win at Latvia in a European World Cup qualifier last week, the team’s last match before the Confederations Cup opener against Mexico. Two weeks ago, he also scored twice in the Champions League final to lead Real Madrid to its second consecutive title in the European club competition.
Ronaldo has 11 goals in five games with Portugal this season, and a good performance at the Confederations Cup will virtually secure him a fifth world player of the year award, equalling Lionel Messi.