Brazil opens World Cup with a win and some controversy
Day 1 at the World Cup was a good one for conspiracy theorists and Brazil forward Neymar. For referee Yuichi Nishimura and tournament organizers, not so much.
The Brazilians were tied with Croatia in the 69th minute when Croatian defender Dejan Lovren lightly bumped striker Fred in the box. The Japanese referee whistled a penalty, prompting ESPN announcer Ian Darke to proclaim, in hyperbole that only a Briton could muster, “Never in a million years.”
Exaggeration aside, considerably more contact is often permitted. The soccer gods nearly smiled on the wronged Croatians, but goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa could not redirect Neymar’s penalty attempt even with both hands on the ball. Justice denied.
It was Neymar’s second goal in a 3-1 win, this after he sent shudders through the host country by apparently tweaking his ankle in warmups that was mildly injured in training Monday. Hey, when Pele tags you with the “savior of Brazilian soccer” label, you better produce.
Only Brazil can look dominant and half-hearted in the same game. The home side maintained a nearly 2-to-1 edge in ball possession and, until a late flurry of Croatia attempts, a sizable advantage in shots on goal.
Yet it took the tournament favorites about 15 minutes into the match to first display their usual spark after the Croatians leapt ahead on an own-goal and should have scored of their own volition on an inviting header.
After Neymar’s left-footer from outside the box caromed off the post and across the goal line to pull the Brazilians even before halftime, they seemed stuck in quicksand for large chunks of the second half.
The disputed penalty was all they needed, and Oscar closed the deal with a goal in stoppage time -- though not before Croatia nearly tied the score on any number of threats.
Itaquerao Stadium, whose construction was completed just under the wire, managed to hold up without collapsing. But, in a repeat of the partial in-stadium blackout at the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans, an upper bank of lights went dark in the opening half. With the sun still shining in Sao Paulo, play went on.
And with the Brazilians winning, if unimpressively, life goes on in their homeland.
