World Cup - Two-goal Neymar fires Brazil to controversial opening win

eurosport.yahoo.com ^ | June 13, 2014 | Eurosport

[Berlin_Freeper]

Neymar saved Brazil's blushes as a controversial late penalty saw him strike a double to give the hosts a 3-1 win over Croatia.

The Barcelona forward converted a hotly disputed spot-kick 19 minutes from time after Fred tumbled under minimal contact from Dejan Lovren.

It capped a superb night for the 22-year-old on a personal level as he marked his 50th cap for his country by drilling in a low 25-yard effort just shy of the half hour after Niko Kovac's side had silenced a buoyant home crowd.

[cartan]

Yes. Funny comment in a German forum: »I think it is real sad that there are so many games in the group stage where the difference in skill is so large that the game turns into a total slaughter. The number of participating teams really should be reduced.”

[dfwgator]

If you’re a Manchester United fan, you have to like what you saw today.

[cartan]

I liked the second kick by Robben :)

[cartan]

Indeed. Van Gaal was not very successful in Munich, but today’s performance was very impressive. Oh well, maybe Spain just sucked so bad that it was easy to look great :p

[dfwgator]

I have a feeling De Gea is going to be Spain’s goalkeeper in their next game.

[Dagnabitt]

LOL!

[Tredegar]

A chance for Pepe Reina, perhaps?

[cartan]

Germany’s ex-goalie Kahn just said on TV that he had had the impression for months that Casillas just isn’t up to his level anymore. The body language alone…

[BeadCounter]

IF there isn’t homecooking, Mexico will take care of Brazil too. Who was saying the African teams would do so well this time? Guess that doesn’t include Cameroon who still has the best run in the World Cup any African Team has ever had.

[goldstategop]

Beautiful girls look hawt in a football stadium! ;-)

[Berlin_Freeper]

There is pain in Spain.

[BeadCounter]

Euro 2008, 1st game, Netherlands 3 World Cup Champion Italy 0

Lessons to remember.

World Cup 2010, 1st game, Switzerland 1 Euro Cup Champion Spain 0.

Big difference in the scoreline today; Spain is more clinical, cool and calculating. They need some emotion.

I hope Chile can give Spain a good game and if Netherlands wins it all, they have long deserved it.

Gullit and Riikgard were from, if I am correct, Dutch Guyana. I’m not sure if they have anyone from there currently.

[BeadCounter]

Probably a good time to check out http://www.marca.com/ , looks like the leading sports website out of Spain.

Humiliacion Mundial & Pedimos Perdon, Yo Primero

So, they've had a good run and the tournament is not over. There are no perfect teams.

[hoagy62]