Brasil 3 - Croatia 1

Photo by Dimitar Dilkoff

Finally, in the 821th match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, tournament finals hosts Brasil made their long-awaited debut in the tournament. They opened the final stage at home to Croatia in Sao Paulo amid protests that were sweeping the country. Mario Mandzukic was suspended for the first match, and still the visitors came out in an attacking formation. The side had been directed to attack the space behind Brasil's overlapping fullbacks, and boy did Croatia do this well at the start of the match. Ivica Olic (pictured, red) was giving freedom to roam down the left sideline, let vacant but the forward runs of right back Dani Alves (pictured, yellow), and he had meters of open space before him as he whipped in a cross. Croatia striker Nikica Jelavic nodded the cross just off frame to let Brasil off the hook early on. Olic continued to probe, and he hit a low cross into the box. Jelavic tipped the ball ever so slightly, and Brasil defender Marcelo had no time to get out of the way of the ball, leading to an own goal. The home crowd was stunned to silence, but the dormant Brazilian attack finally awoke. Neymar, poised to be the breakout star of the tournament in attack for Brasil, took the ball up the sideline from the right flank and pushed the ball to the top of the box. From there, Oscar banged a curling ball at the far post from twenty yards out, but an unsighted Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa made a diving stop to his right. Neymar took a yellow card before the half hour mark for a backhanded slap to the face of Luka Modric as they fought to win a header. However, two minutes later, Neymar was given too much space on a run up the center of the pitch, and Croatia were made to pay. Neymar hit a left-footed roller that banked in off the post past a slow-reacting Pletikosa to even the score. The sides went into halftime all square at one goal apiece.

Croatia left their magical attack somewhere in the locker room, for they certainly did not bring it with them onto the pitch for the second half. Brasil were a more relaxed, patient side in the second period. Brasil were drawing fouls in the final third, and it seemed inevitable that they would cash in eventually. Fred flopped in the penalty area, drawing a weak penalty kick for Brasil under minimal contact from Croatia centerback Dejan Lovren. Neymar converted for a 2-1 lead. Croatia had appeared to tie the game late in the match, but Olic was ruled to have fouled Brasil goalkeeper Julio Cesar, causing him to drop the ball that was later scrambled into the goal by Croatia. Modric then shot from distance, but Brasil goalkeeper Julio Cesar fell back to his right to make the parry to safety despite having leaned the wrong way with the shot. Cesa made another save from distance off an Ivan Perisic shot. Croatia looked as dangerous as they did to begin the match at the tail end, but they had to push numbers up field to search for the draw. In stoppage time, Ivan Rakitic was caught in possession by a tackle from late Brasil substitute Ramires. Oscar picked up the loose ball and scored off a slow-rolling toe-poke strike from outside the box, somehow bamboozling Pletikosa to make the final scoreline extremely flattering to the hosts. Brasil win 3-1 and jump to the top of Group A.

Goals
Brasil
Neymar 29, 71 PK
Oscar 90+1

Croatia
Marcelo 11 (OG)

Match Reports:
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/06/13/world-cup-2014-day-1/
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/match/383303/brazil-croatia/report
http://soccer.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/06/12/brazil-croatia-world-cup-three-thoughts-neymar
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/1875415/three-points-brazil-vs-Croatia
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/12/brazil-croatia-world-cup-2014-group-a-match-report

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186456/index.html