Brazil came from behind to beat stubborn Croatia 3-1 with the help of Neymar’s double on Thursday in a nervous but successful start into their home World Cup title mission.
Neymar’s goals were the perfect start to propel him to possible superstar status, and for Brazil in their bid for a sixth title on July 13 at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
The goals set off fireworks across Sao Paulo and elsewhere, but Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men will need to improve after they had a hard time breaking down a disciplined Croatian defence.
“I am really very happy, really happy, even happier than I dreamed of,” Man of the Match Neymar said. “To start with a victory is very important but it’s something of the whole teams. We were calm and were able to turn the match around.”
Croatia meanwhile fumed over the penalty harshly given by Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura who ruled that Dejan Lovren pulled down Fred.
“If anyone saw it was a penalty in this stadium please raise their hand. If we continue this way there will be 100 penalties at the World Cup,” Kovac told the post-game news conference. “It was ridiculous.”
Scolari and Kovac had no surprises in their starting 11 as the game kicked off at a fast pace just over one hour after the short and very Brazilian opening ceremony.
Croatia allowed Brazil little space and then became adventurous on their own, with Olic heading inches wide at the far left post off fellow-Wolfsburg player Ivan Perisic’s cross.
The 34-year-old veteran Olic redeemed himself four minutes later, as his determined run down the left flank ended in a dangerous low cross which was miscued by Nikica Jelavic but bounced into the net off the leg of unfortunate Marcelo right behind him.
If anyone saw it was a penalty in this stadium please raise their hand. If we continue this way there will be 100 penalties at the World Cup.
Neymar became the first player to be booked at the World Cup after elbowing Luka Modric, but then got the equaliser in the 29th with a low shot from 25 metres in off the right post after nice work from Oscar in midfield.
However, Brazil still found it difficult to find a way through the Croatian 4-4-2 formation although Hulk should have done better on the stroke of half-time, but completely miscued his effort after Neymar had stolen the ball from Olic.
Both teams started the second half unchanged, and Croatia were pinned back into their own half although Brazil earned no real chance.
They were eventually given the penalty and Neymar was lucky to score into the left corner as Pletikosa got his hands on the ball.
Croatia pressed for the equaliser as Brazil had to sweat it out in the final minutes before Chelsea’s Oscar soothed everyone’s nerves with the third in the 90th minute from the edge of the area.
