{"id":51528,"date":"2014-06-12T15:04:03","date_gmt":"2014-06-12T12:04:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalturk.com\/en\/?p=51528"},"modified":"2019-03-30T17:39:29","modified_gmt":"2019-03-30T17:39:29","slug":"brazil-vs-croatia-preview-afore-kick-off-timewill-a-new-openning-match-surprise-2014-world-cup-news-51528","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalturk.com\/en\/brazil-vs-croatia-preview-afore-kick-off-timewill-a-new-openning-match-surprise-2014-world-cup-news-51528\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazil vs Croatia Preview afore Kick off time:Will a new openning match surprise ? \/ 2014 World Cup News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Brazil-vs-Croatia-2014-World-Cup-Group-A-Oppening-Match\"<\/a><\/h1>\n

FIFA \u00a02014 World Cup begins with Brazil vs Croatia match, each the opening match results are shocked, \u00a0Does Selecao shocked I wonder\u00a0?<\/h1>\n

The hosts are almost unbeatable at home, won the Confederations Cup last summer, and are loaded with talent, as usual. Nothing less than a World Cup title a month from now will satisfy the fans, at least those who are not actively protesting the tournament.<\/p>\n

Croatia will hope to emulate Senegal in 2002 (over France) and Cameroon in 1990 (over Argentina) by pulling off an opening-game upset.<\/p>\n

Selecao \u00a0is very, very unlikely not to qualify for the knockout stages, even with a stumble today. Croatia would love a point from a draw, but realistically its fate will be determined in matches against Mexico and Cameroon later on.<\/p>\n

Brazil vs Croatia: Latest Team News<\/h2>\n

Luiz Felipe Scolari will almost certainly start with the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 that saw Brazil storm to the Confederations Cup on home soil last summer, with the only real tactical question mark over who will partner the more defensive anchorman Luiz Gustavo in the midfield pivot. The early favourite is Paulinho, who Scolari has generally preferred since taking charge, though there’s the slight possibility Brazil’s other energetic box-to-box midfielder, Ramires, will be given the nod.<\/p>\n

This may be the World Cup opener, but Croatia are still missing a key player through suspension. First-choice striker\u00a0Mario Mand\u017euki\u0107 is unavailable after turning the second leg of the playoff against Iceland into a karate match, leaving Kova\u010d with a dilemma over who to start up top. He’ll likely opt for one of\u00a0Nikica Jelavi\u0107 or Eduardo, with the former a more like-for-like replacement. There’s a question over who’ll start in midfield, with defensive anchorman Ognjen Vukojevi\u0107 possibly set to start over the advanced playmaker\u00a0Mateo Kova\u010di\u0107 in a bid to counteract Brazil’s attacking firepower.<\/p>\n

Brazil vs Croatia:Posible Lineups<\/h3>\n
\"Brazil<\/a>
Brazil vs Croatia 2014 World Cup openning match posible Lineups<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brazil (4-2-3-1)<\/b>:\u00a0J\u00falio C\u00e9sar; Marcelo, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Dani Alves; Paulinho, Luiz Gustavo; Neymar, Oscar, Hulk; Fred.<\/p>\n

Croatia (4-3-3)<\/b>:\u00a0Stipe Pletikosa; Danijel Pranji\u0107, Dejan Lovren, Vedran \u0106orluka, Darijo Srna; Ivan Rakiti\u0107, Ognjen Vukojevi\u0107, Luka Modri\u0107; Ivica Oli\u0107, Nikica Jelavi\u0107, Ivan Peri\u0161i\u0107.<\/p>\n

Brazil vs Croatia:Key Matchups<\/h4>\n

The midfield battle<\/b>\u00a0– Heading into the World Cup, Croatia Kova\u010d seems to prefer using a 4-2-3-1, with Kova\u010di\u0107 starting centrally ahead of a midfield pivot of Luka Modri\u0107 and Ivan Rakiti\u0107. While that’s one of the most creative and exciting sounding trios in the entire tournament, and would be great for crushing weak teams who’ll let Croatia dominate possession, it might not be so good against Brazil.<\/p>\n

Rakiti\u0107 loves to dribble the ball up the pitch — and plays his domestic football as an attacking midfielder at Sevilla — while Modri\u0107 is also a playmaker rather than an anchorman. Should they play together, Croatia run the risk of allowing space in between their midfield and defence for Neymar, Oscar and Hulk to work their Brazilian magic, meaning it’d be a safer bet for Kova\u010d to drop Kova\u010di\u0107 to the bench and play a true defensive midfielder in Vukojevi\u0107 behind Modri\u0107 and Rakiti\u0107. Whoever dominates this space will have the upper hand.<\/p>\n

Brazil’s full-backs vs. Croatia’s wingers\u00a0<\/b>– You’re not going to find a more attack-minded full-back pairing anywhere in the World Cup than Brazil’s Dani Alves and Marcelo. They love to push forward into the midfield line in the offensive phase, and with Hulk and Neymar both having a tendency to drift infield from the flanks, overlapping runs from the full-backs are a requirement in Scolari’s system.<\/p>\n

Thus, Croatia’s wingers — most likely Ivica Oli\u0107 and Ivan Peri\u0161i\u0107 — will almost certainly be looking to get in behind down the flanks, and Modri\u0107 and Rakiti\u0107 will try to feed them with long diagonal passes. Should they counter efficiently, Croatia will cause Brazil problems.<\/p>\n

Mario Mand\u017euki\u0107’s replacement vs. Brazil’s defense\u00a0<\/b>– Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola sure isn’t Mand\u017euki\u0107’s biggest fan, but there’s little doubt that he’s one of the best pure strikers in world football at present, and he’ll be sorely missed by Croatia against Brazil.\u00a0His ability to hold up the ball for his teammates on the break is as good as his finishing, and Croatia have no comparable options up front. But if they’re going to have any chance of a result here, they need his replacement — be it the more static, powerful Jelavi\u0107 or the mobile, nimble Eduardo — to step up to the plate and cause Brazil’s strong centre-backs harm.<\/p>\n

Brazil vs Croatia: Match Time & place<\/h5>\n

June 12, 2014 at 4 p.m. ET \u00a0Arena de S\u00e3o Paulo, S\u00e3o Paulo<\/p>\n\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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