Neymar Penentu Kemenangan Brazil 3-1 atas Kroasia
Neymar Leads Brazil to 3-1 Win over Croatia
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Sao Paulo (B2B) - Bintang muda Brasil yang bersinar bersama Barcelona, Neymar Jr, dinobatkan sebagai "Man of The Match" dalam laga pembuka Piala Dunia 2014 antara Brasil melawan Kroasia.
Dalam laga pembuka di Corinthians Arena Sao Paulo, Brasil, Jumat pagi WIB, Neymar begitu dominan dan aksi-aksinya berulang kali mengancam gawang Kroasia, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.
Berkat dua golnya lah--menit 29 dan menit 71 via tendangan pinalti--Brasil berbalik unggul 2-1 setelah tertinggal di awal laga karena gol bunuh diri Marcelo.
Kebangkitan Brasil melalui Neymar, dilengkapi dengan gol Oscar pada menit 90 dan mengantar Brasil menang 3-1 atas Kroasia.
Menurut catatan FIFA, dalam pertandingan pembuka itu Neymar bermain 88 menit karena kemudian digantikan Ramires.
Sepanjang penampilannya dalam laga dramatis itu, Neymar telah membuat 49 umpan, empat tendangan ke arah gawang, dan dua di antaranya membuahkan gol.
Terlepas dari pujian untuk Neymar, Kroasia harus diakui telah bermain bagus dan menciptakan banyak ancaman untuk kiper Julio Cesar.
Namun, punggawa belakang Brasil yang kuat seperti David Luiz dan Dani Alves menjadi halangan utama buat duo penyerang Kroasia, Luka Modric dan Ivan Rakitic.
Sao Paulo (B2B) - Brazil´s poster boy Neymar scored twice and the outstanding Oscar added a late third as the hosts came from behind to beat Croatia 3-1 in a thrilling World Cup opening match on Thursday.
The Group A game, tipped the hosts´ way after a controversial 71st-minute penalty awarded by Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura in front of a 62,103 crowd at the Corinthians arena.
But he immediately pointed to the spot and then seemed to run away as if he was going to be brought down by a pack of angry Croatian players after he ruled that Croatia skipper Dejan Lovren had hauled down Fred when it clearly looked as though the Brazil striker threw himself to the ground.
Nishimura ran off the pitch and booked Lovren as the chasing Croatia players screamed at him for what they perceived to be a misjudgement.
After the mayhem Neymar kept his composure and put Brazil ahead for the first time with a right-foot penalty which Croatia keeper Stipe Pletikosa got a hand to but could not save.
Apart from that serious misjudgement Nishimura controlled the superbly-balanced game well as both teams went looking for goals and created chances at both ends.
Neymar, under enormous pressure to produce the kind of football that could lead Brazil to their sixth World Cup, did not disappoint with some stunning passes and moves as he held off rigorous challenges by the stylish Croatians.
