Brazil, Egypt Aim For Opening Success

The final match on day one of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011 pits three-time world champions Brazil against Egypt, who have been making solid progress at this level over the last decade. Both sides are expected to figure strongly in Group E, and whoever comes out on top in this game will have every chance of progressing to the next round.

The Brazilians are on a high after taking the South American title earlier in the year, and not even the absence of Neymar and Lucas, who have been on Copa America duty, has unsettled coach Ney Franco. Having drafted Inter Milan’s Philippe Coutinho into the squad, Franco is aiming to land Brazil’s fourth world title in the category and will be looking to the likes of Casemiro, Oscar and Danilo, who all held down first-team places with their clubs during the domestic season, to maintain the nation’s high standards.

While they may have a less impressive record in the competition, Egypt nevertheless finished third at Portugal 1991, reached the last 16 on home soil in 2009 and have only failed on two occasions to progress beyond the group phase in six attempts. The Egyptians should not be lacking in motivation this time around either, with coach El Sayed Diaa banking on the playmaking skills of Mohamed Hamdy and the solid goalkeeping of Ahmed Elshenawi to inspire them to the knockout rounds.