Two names Brazil’s poster boy Neymar dos Santos Jnr and Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura will majorly stand from Thursday’s opening game of the 20th edition of FIFA World Cup at the Arena do Corinthians in Sao Paolo.
The latter is being blamed by a bunch of neutral and non-Selecao supporters across the globe for his decision to award the hosts a 69th minute controversial penalty after Fred was brought down by Croatia’s Dejan Lovren. Neymar, who had earlier leveled Marcelo’s own goal, converted from 12 yards for a brace to send the sea of yellow and blue into sparks of delight before a late solo Oscar effort gave the hosts an opening 3-1 win over Niko Kovac’s side.
The result tells how much relief Brazil tactician Luis Felipe Scolari, skipper Thiago Silva, and company got on return to the dressing room at full time. Even the fans who had planned a pre and post-match protests must have thought otherwise once Nishimura blew the final whistle.
For the man from Asia, Nishimura ought not to be blamed for the wobbly decision as from his point of view; he only saw Lovren’s arms around Fred’s chest. Camera angles show there was minimal contact and that speaks volumes that Fred played for the reward. You never rule that out at such a big stage of the global game. It is why English man Graham Poll will always be remembered for giving out three yellow cards to a single Croat back in Germany 2006. Anyway, Nishimura didn’t plan it either, or call it succumbing to the pressure of the hosts.
Scolari and his boys did fumble at the back and were neither that flamboyant in the opponent’s half but played to the get a result as expected by many. Before the fervent latter rendition of Brazil’s national anthem, the mood seemed sombre and the Samba boys’ eyes seemed teary.
The start was awful; Ivica Olic almost got the lead within eight minute but forced Marcelo to finish into Julio Cesar’s net as more pressure soaked in.
For now, Brazil and more so Neymar, are through with the toughest hurdle. Stopping them from a sixth record title is as tough as preventing Miroslav Klose from ending Ronaldo’s 15-all time World Cup goal record.