Brazil to meet Japan in Confederations Cup opener

 SAO PAULO, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Host nation Brazil will meet Japan in the opening match of the 2013 Confederations Cup, football's world governing body FIFA said on Saturday.

World and European champion Spain has been drawn¹ to play its first game of the tournament against Uruguay while Italy will debut² against Mexico.

Oceania champion Tahiti will kick off its campaign against the yet-to-be-decided winner of the African Cup of Nations.

The draw in Sao Paulo pitted Brazil in Group A alongside Italy, Mexico and Japan while Group B comprises Spain, Uruguay, Tahiti and the African champion.

The first match is in the capital Brasilia and the final at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium.

Held from June 15 to June 30, the Confederations Cup is considered a prelude³ to the 2014 World Cup, also to be staged in Brazil.

"We have the mission to win the Confederations Cup on the field, but we also have the obligation to be victorious⁴ off the field," Brazil President Dilma Rousseff said after the draw.

"We are preparing to organize an extraordinary Confederations Cup. We will show the world in 2013 that Brazil has all the conditions to host the 2014 World Cup, and that it will be the best organized and the most festive⁵ of all time."

FIFA says 130,000 tickets have already been sold for the tournament.

1 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

4 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

5 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。