Confederations Cup 2013: 5 players to watch out for as Brazil take on Mexico

Brazil got off to a fabulous start at the Confederations Cup, dispelling any doubts about their form. Felipe Scolari has been tinkering with his arrangement coming into this tournament but the Selecao look settled now. They will have an able opponent in Mexico who put in a brave performance against Italy but lost out. They will, realistically, need at least a draw in this game to keep themselves alive in the competition. The two teams have served up some huge games at the Confederations Cup, the most memorable of which was the 1999 final which saw Mexico prevail 4-3 against a stellar Brazil side. The El Tri will be trying to emulate that performance but given the personnel they have, such a situation seems highly unlikely.

Mexico failed to create enough in the midfield against Italy and they are only going to find the task tougher against Brazil. Brazil, on the other hand, had enough imagination in their lineup. Though Brazil were not flawless against Japan, they were certainly solid at the back, with Thiago Silva putting in yet another stellar performance.  They were very mobile on the pitch with Neymar constantly running the channels and posing a threat. One would not be surprised if this one turned out to be a goal fest.

Here is a list of 5 players who will take the spotlight when the two teams clash in a key match that could see the Selecao book a semi-final berth.

5. Thiago Silva

With Brazil looking to put Mexico to the sword, they will flood forward in an attempt to dismantle the Mexico defense and in such a situation, to have the security and stability of Thiago Silva at the back is a genuine boon. The defender was a leader on the pitch against Japan as he choked the likes of Okazaki and Maeda out of the game. His strong positional sense, added to his aerial ability, makes him the top defender that he is. Brazil can be confident of keeping a few clean sheets in this competition if he repeats the performance he put in against Japan.