Confederations Cup
Jordaan delighted after draw
2008-11-22 21:15
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Johannesburg - The draw for the Fifa Confederations Cup South Africa 2009, held tonight at the Sandton Convention Centre, was a glamorous, African affair.
“It was slick, professional and highly insightful of our rich South African culture,” said 2010 Fifa World Cup Organising Committee South Africa chief executive officer Danny Jordaan.
“What we saw tonight shows that our organisational capabilities are comparable to anything, and is proof that there is no contradiction between African and world class. It is a show that will have given the world confidence that the 2010 Fifa World Cup is in good hands and it has also made us South Africans more confident,” said Jordaan.
Commenting on South Africa’s group, which will see the host nation take on Spain, Iraq and New Zealand in the group stage and escape the likes of Italy and Brazil, Jordaan said that South Africa had a good chance to get through to the semifinals of the tournament.
“It could have been worse. It is in our favour, but we should not underestimate Iraq and New Zealand, who are both competitive teams that have fought hard to be here. The home ground advantage should give us a good chance of getting into the next round. This will lift the spirit of all of us and will be wonderful for the country,” said Jordaan.