After years of waiting, the 2014 Fifa World Cup kicked off
between hosts, Brazil, and Croatia in Sao Paulo. It was inevitable a Brazilian
was going to be first on the score sheet, albeit on the wrong side. Real Madrid’s
Marcelo swept in a low cross from the left within the early minutes of play. The
second scorer was a Brazilian in Neymar after some hassling and tussling by
Oscar.
How did the goals occur? The normal Samba way is to attack
strong and in numbers. This exposed the defence as both wing defenders scamper
down the flanks. Many players get ahead of the ball and the central defenders
played wide apart. After winning the ball in their defending third, Croatia
quickly played wide and crossed a hard and low ball that touched a few feet and
that fatal one from Marcelo.
A series of errors occurred. At the centre line, Paulinho was
supposed to stand his ground, not dive in and then delay the attack. As the pace of the Croatian was
high, the body shape would be to show the ball carrier inside where there is
already traffic. This did not happen. The ball went to the wing. At that point,
the delivery of the cross must be denied. Unfortunately, the cross came, and
the first man was supposed to deal with that cross and he did not. Neither did
the third man. Marcelo was the fourth man and he touched the ball home.
Given the first two steps after losing the ball were wrong
or bad decisions, it is immaterial that the defenders played that phase of the
game facing their goal. Delaying the man on the ball would allow recovery runs
to get players between the ball and the goal, and gain territorial advantage
where the defenders have their back to their goalkeeper.
Croatia were guilty of letting Oscar’s confidence overflow.
The Chelsea midfielder won two ball in succession, the first while on the
ground. His first touch was woeful, but he was left to recover, beat a few
players, fall and pass the ball to a team-mate who lost it, steal it and play
it to Neymar. Two defenders were supposed to stop the Barcelona talisman. They
failed and the goalkeeper could not do much despite the poorly executed shot.
There was more direction in the shot that power in that effort, and just about
enough accuracy to escape the fingertips and to touch the upright.
Both sides employed 1-4-2-3-1, with Brazil employing a very
patient but usual approach and Croatia naturally counter-attacking. The first
few minutes saw Brazil pressing up-field, trying to win the ball where they had
lost it. The transition from attack to defence as well as defence to attack
slowed down drastically leading to that opening goal. The Europeans were a
little urgent and much more efficient, producing very clear-cut scoring
opportunities. Their direct play produce sight at goal several times before
Brazil could settle.
A settled game grew a little tactical and boring for
spectators until a soft touch on Fred led to the penalty that Neymar converted
for his brace. It was not that the big striker was a threat as he had his back
to the goal. Letting the ball get there in the first place was bad defending.
The home side played much better with less pressure but their vulnerability was
obvious. They exhibited nervousness in counter attacks as their opponents threw
kitchen sinks and all at them.
They utilised one counter attack of their own after a
toe-poke by man-of-the-match Oscar who picked a long clearance from David Luiz.
Goalkeeper Julio Cesar had a few long-range saves before that moment. That
final goal followed one wicked block in injury time when Luka Modric’s troops
were probably smelling blood and sensing an equaliser. They got exposed by a
single long clearance and the attacking pace that ended with a crowning of that
man of the match performance by 22-year old Chelsea man. It was a case of
nerves and keeping check on the temperament in the final stages of the show
that would be enjoyed by the hosts for the days to come.
