Brazil begin favourites

Hyderabad: The excitement finally begins. World Cup football: The biggest sporting spectacle opens with the hosts Brazil taking on Croatia. The Selecao (Brazilian team) are overwhelming favourites for the opening match at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. The home side, who won the Confederations Cup in 2013, will be looking to set off the pace early in the group.

Croatia on the other hand have had a brilliant journey to the qualifiers but will know that their hopes of progressing through the group stage could take a real height if they manage to get something from the host country. Niko Kovac will be well aware of the attacking prowess of the Selecao and with the home support rallying behind them. Breaching the Brazilian defence will be a tough nut to crack for the Croats as the odds are against them, in every sense of the word.

The Brazilian’s are injury-free giving coach Luis Felipe Scolari the option to partner David Luiz with Thiago Silva in the heart of the defence with Dani Alves and Marcelo manning the full back positions. Paulinho and Luiz Gustavo will form the engine room (Midfield) for the Selecao. Hulk, Oscar, Fred and Neymar form the attacking four and will have the responsibility to torment the opposition.

Brazil’s strength lies up front with Paulinho and Luiz Gustavo running the engine. They have a stable back four with world class Thiago Silva at the centre of defence. However, his partner David Luiz has a penchant for making marauding runs, which might give opposition forwards a sniffing chance. But the Achilles heel will be tough to target if they Croats are slow.

Croatia on the other hand are without their star forward Mario Mandzukic, who has suspended for a clash, and Ivica Olic is likely to come in as a striker.
The Croats are solid in the middle and have creativity likes of Modric, Kovacic, Rakitic and Vukojevic. Their back four looks wobbly; Corluka and Lovren will be at the helm of affairs in the defence with Vrsaljko to step in the place of injured Pranjic at left and the captain Srna on right.

All said and done, the game will be played on two fronts- the Brazilian engine room sniffing out Croats creativity and Croatian defence standing as a rock against Selecao’s attacking prowess. World Cups are known for strange things and even stranger results. Though Croatia will look to find solace in that, the hosts are likely to get off to a flying start.

Probable Lineups:

Brazil: Cesar (GK), Alves, Luiz, Silva, Marcelo, Paulinho, Gustavo, Neymar, Oscar, Hulk, Fred.

Croatia: Pletikosa (GK), Srna, Lovren, Corluka, Vrsaljko, Vukojevic, Modric, Perisic, Rakitic, Kovacic, Olic.