Sao Paulo: Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Poster boy Neymar stole the show on the first day of the 2014 World Cup with a brace in Brazil’s 3-1 win over Croatia in Group ‘A’ here on Thursday. A yellow card for an elbow on Luka Modric in the first half was the only blot on an otherwise impeccable day for the Brazilian talisman.
Croatia swam adroitly before sinking in a sea of yellow. They would feel hard done by the decision of the Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura to award a penalty when the score line was 1-1. Croatian centre-back Dejan Lovren’s feeble touch on Fred resulted in an inexplicable spot kick. Nishimura easily bought Fred’s tumble and the tide turned in favour of the home side.
After a snappy opening ceremony, Brazil and Croatia took the field in the cauldron of the Corinthians Arena bathed in yellow as Brazilians had come out in force to support the five-time champions. But the script went horribly wrong in the 11th minute when left-back Marcelo put the ball into his own net. Ivan Rakitic sent Ivica Olic clear on the left and the Wolfsburg forward advanced unchallenged, with his marker Dani Alves was nowhere in the picture, to whip in a cross.
The ball got a faint touch off Nikica Jelavic before Marcelo scored an own goal with a diabolical intervention. Deathly silence at the stadium. Chelsea midfielder Oscar, deployed on the left in a 4-2-3-1 formation, drew a fine save from Croatian goalie Stipe Pletikosa before Neymar showed his not-so- beautiful side with a nasty elbow on Modric. The prince-in-waiting soon made amends with a fine solo goal. His left-footed shot from 24 yards wasn’t a bullet but it was struck with precision as it rolled in off the right post.
The noise that greeted Neymar’s 29th-minute equaliser was deafening. Croatia were not yet out at half-time. Despite dominating possession, Brazil struggled to fashion sharp openings. Their over dependence on Neymar was as clear as the number of yellow shirts at the venue.
Nishimura would realise his folly if he looked at the replay. If Lovren’s challenge was a penalty, every match here should have half a dozen spot kicks. Brazil, though, grabbed the lucky chance. Pletikosa got a hand to Neymar’s penalty but couldn’t prevent it from hitting the net. It was the decisive moment of the entertaining, if not a memorable, match. Oscar added gloss to the result with a fantastic finish in added time. He toe-poked the ball from edge of the area to send the Selecao fans into raptures.
Brazil’s football was far from champagne stuff. Scolari must be worried over the lack of assurance in his full-backs. Hulk and Fred did nothing of note up front. But first matches are always tricky and the hosts must be happy that three points are in the bag.
