Match Highlights

An impressive performance from Oscar provided the catalyst for Brazil to turn around an early deficit and defeat Croatia 3-1 in the World Cup opener in Sao Paulo opening match of the World Cup as Brazil defence could not Deal with Olic tricky cross and Marcelo put Croatia ahead with an own goal 11 minutes into the game.

Although Croatia started the game very well Sao Paulo and should have taken the lead when Mateo Kovacic firing the first shot in anger wide of Julio Cesar’s goal with 44 seconds on the clock, before Ivica Olic – with a warning of what was to come – got away down the left and swung in a dangerous cross which David Luiz dealt with superbly.

Brazil responded and a cross from the lively Oscar only narrowly evaded both Fred and Neymar, before the Chelsea man fed Paulinho and he stung Pletikosa’s palms with a rising drive from inside the box.

The Croatia goalkeeper was in action again soon after, plunging to his right to push away a curling long-range effort from Oscar after Neymar’s persistence had taken him to the byline before his pull-back was cleared.

Brazil Golden boy Neymar is the first person to be booked at this year's world cup, he was booked for catching Real Madrid’s Luka Modric with an arm across his throat, with the Croatia players unhappy it was not red, and Jelavic tested Julio Cesar with a header from Perisic’s cross with Olic

Neymar levelled the score line before the half time break after the man of the night Oscar fought Croatia strong mid field to win a scrambling ball battle and pass the ball to his team Neymar who took a solo effort and hits the ball with the outright of his boot from few yards outside the box beaten the Croatia shot stopper.

The second half began at a lower tempo than the first, but Brazil were still bossing possession and probing for a second without testing Pletikosa and the Olic-Jelavic axis almost combined again for Croatia at the other end of the field.

Brazil new pele continued from where he stopped before the Half and Neymar put his side ahead in contentious circumstances in the 71st minute after Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura ruled that Fred’s tumble to the floor following the slightest contact from Croatia defender Dejan Lovren warranted a penalty, a decision Croatia protested.

Neymar  converted the penalty although Pletikosa got his hands to the penalty and almost saved it but there was so much power behind the kick. Neymar almost got his hat-trick but was denied by his own team mate David Luiz who struggled to reach the ball that could have conveniently reach Neymar in front of goal provided by Oscar who had a perfect second half.

Croatia pushed for a leveller but were denied when Olic was penalised for challenging Julio Cesar at the far post before Luka Modric saw a low shot saved by the Brazil goalkeeper and the tempo got higher as Croatia pushed further in the game.

Julio Cesar was called into action again to deny Perisic as it got to the final minute of the game Croatia became more offensive and Brazil was doing more of the defending, before Oscar settled the nerves for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men as he burst clear and toe-poked home from the edge of the area as the game entered added time