Big guns for DStv's SuperSport Confed Cup screening

An illustrious panel of football experts has been assembled by SuperSport to provide unprecedented coverage of the Confederations Cup, that recently started in Brazil.

They include Sunday Oliseh, Shaun Bartlett, Gary Bailey, Samuel Kuffour, Neil Tovey, Doctor Khumalo, Mark Fish and Andre Arendse, who will offer analysis of the traditional "dry run" ahead of the 2014 World Cup.

African champions Nigeria will fly the continent's flag, but have been drawn in a tough Group B that includes World Cup winners Spain and South American champions Uruguay.

The tournament will be staged at six venues across Brazil from June 15-30 and will be used to test the country's readiness for the World Cup this time next year.

It is the second appearance at the competition for the Super Eagles, who finished fourth in 1995 when the tournament was held in Saudi Arabia and still known as the King Fahd Cup.

Coach Stephen Keshi will be relishing taking his side onto the global stage after their success at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in February.

That victory might have been unexpected, but was fully deserved as the side grew in stature as the tournament progressed, getting better with each game.

They got the chance to ease into the Confederations Cup as well with an opening match against tiny Oceania champions Tahiti on June 17.

Tahiti are easily the smallest country ever to appear in a FIFA finals with a population of just 180 000 and are not expected to provide much resistance to their pool opponents.

Nigeria face a talented, but largely out of sorts of late Uruguay side in their second group game on June 20, warming up to a big finish against Spain on June 23.

It is likely the Uruguay clash will be the key one in the pool for Keshi and his charges if they are to finish in the top two and advance to the semifinals.

Group A has a fascinating look about it with hosts Brazil, European Championship runners-up Italy, crowd favourites Mexico and an ever-improving Japan battling it out for the top two places.

Brazil got their campaign under way against the Asian champions on June 15 and finish off against Italy on June 22.

The top side in Group A meets the runners-up of Group B and vice-versa in the semifinals, with the final to be staged at the refurbished Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on June 30.

Cameroon are the only African side to reach the final of the competition, but lost 1-0 to France in 2003, a tournament that was overshadowed by the death of Indomitable Lions midfielder Marc-Vivien Foé.

Aside from Nigeria's fourth-place finish almost two decades ago, South Africa also claimed that position on home soil in 2009, as did Cote d'Ivoire in 1992.

SuperSport's coverage, to be anchored by Robert Marawa, Neil Andrews and Charles Anazodo, will include one-hour buildups per match, plus a magazine show – Ola Brazil –screening on Saturdays and Sundays at 10am CAT. Master Plan will air on Sundays at 6pm CAT.

Apart from English, language options include Sotho, Zulu and Portuguese.