Brazil vs Croatia live scores, results – 2014 World Cup Group Stage match

Finally, the waiting is over. Countries all around the world are holding their collective breaths as the most important football tournament in the world gets underway. Welcome one and all to the FIFA World Cup 2014. This year’s hosts are Brazil, recognised as the best football team in the history of international football, so perhaps it is fitting that the tournament begins with them. Pitted against Croatia however, the Samba Stars must not consider themselves nailed on to win it, even though most bookies are laying odds in their favour.

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Preview:

Croatia have promised not to rest on their laurels in the opening game, confirming that they will be looking to cause an opening day upset, however the Samba Boys or “Selecao” are not 5-time world champions for nothing. Their lethal style is deceptively placid-looking, seeming to relax visiting teams, lulling them into a false sense of idleness, before going for the jugular with sudden, blistering pace, accompanied by typical Brazilian flair and swaggering style.

Croatia however, are no mugs. They placed third in the tournament in 1998, even though no-one expected them to even make the quarter-finals. Croatia as a country is extremely passionate about football as well as many other ball-based sports and while they are defensively very disciplined, they are expected to put Brazil’s defence to the test a few times this evening. Brazil for their part, have a line-up that makes any nation take notice, with names to grace any top-flight league in the world, including Paulinho, Luiz, Fred, Neymar and Hulk; and it is for the destructive and creative power that these players can unleash that the football world waits with undisguised excitement.

Croatia have some star names too, with Jelavic of Manchester United, Dejan Lovren of Southampton, Eduardo of Shakhtar Donetsk and Luka Modric of the mighty Real Madrid. Modric has promised that Croatia will not sit back during this tournament and will aim to be among the semi-finalists at the very least. Their opener however, could prove to be difficult with one of their star players, Mario Mandzukic suspended from this game due to a red card he picked up in the play-off game against Iceland last November.

In the run up to this game, the Brazilians have been scoring for fun, with an average of 2.58 goals per game. If they score early the Croats may just find this task slightly out of reach, no matter how much hard graft they put in. Brazil will move the ball around quickly and economically, with Croatia expected to do most of the real running. History shows though, that Croatia are no shirkers when it comes to hard graft with giant-killings at their hands not unknown.

Tonight’s game promises to be a spectacle, with Brazilian arrogance, style and grace matched up against Croatian grit and determination. Not forgetting the fact that Brazil is the spiritual home of Latin music and dancing, a taste of which we can expect to be treated to during the opening festival. This, when added to the feast of wonderful football we are about to enjoy, all adds up to a joyous, colourful carnival of football delights.

Odds Comparison: