Brazil – Croatia

1. Most football fans would agree that the World Cup has not started properly until Brazil take their bow. Tonight, that wait is over and the current Brazil side have the potential to match the famous Brazilian teams of 1958, 1970, 1982 and so many other World Cups.

2. A side fronted by the imperious Ronaldinho and filled with talents of such as Adriano, Kaka and Ronaldo has every right to assume they will win this trophy.

3. Ronaldo, with twelve World Cup goals so far, would be especially pleased to silence his critics with a goal-scoring spree in this tournament. Three more goals and he will beat Gerd Muller's record tally of stikes.

4. Croatia will privately have accepted that this is a game they will probably lose, although a country who cane third in their first ever World Cup in 1998 are unlikely to lie down tonight.

5. Their team is not so full of individual talent as the side which reached the semis in France eight years ago but they do have players Brazil will be wary of.

6. The power of Rangers Dado Prso could cause the Brazilian defence a few problems and his striker partner, Ivan Klasnic will be looking to feed off Prso's height.

7. This is the first game played in the magnificent new stadium in Berlin which will host the final next month.

8. Brazil line up as expected but defender Tomas is on the bench for Croatia following publication of photographs of him drinking two nights before his country's first game.

9. A very large Croatian expatriate community made themselves well heard during their country's national anthem.

10. Brazil kick off the first half in their traditional yellow and blue.

11. 1'

    Ronaldihno loops a ball across to Kaka but Croatia win possession to a big cheer before the ball finds its way back to their keeper Pletikosa.

12. 1'

    Tudor loses the ball and Brazil pounce. They attack in numbers and Croatia are forced to concede a corner. Roberto Carlos then tries a right-footed effort for a change. It goes the same way most of his left-footed strikes do - wide.

13. 2'

    Ronaldihno beats two men and chips it in to Ronaldo on the edge of the box. The ball is fed out to Ze Roberto who cuts it back but Croatia scramble it away. First glimpse of Brazil's talent.

14. 3'

    Prso tries to run at Lucio and beats him before delivering a poor cross.

15. 4'

    Croatia have retreated in numbers after that attack. They know they will be defending for most of this game.

16. 5'

    Kaka sprints away down the right but Tudor gets back to mop up.

17. 5'

    Ronaldo tries to thread his way through the middle but Simic cleans up and gets the ball away to Tudor.

18. 6'

    Croatia pulled up for offside.

19. 7'

    Ronaldinho hits a rare stray pass and Croatia play safe by getting it back to Pletikosa.

20. 8'

    Prso's pass is hit behind for a corner at the other end.

21. 8'

    Dida comes and claims it and his quick throw out allows Brazil to tear up the left. Ronaldinho squares the ball to Kaka who comes sprinting towards the eighteen yard line before hitting a shot which goes wide.

22. 10'

    Ronaldinho plants the ball straight to Ronaldo's feet but the Real Madrid man is judged to be offside.

23. 11'

    Babic creeps up the field and three times links up with his teammates with some nice passing and heading. His final pass when it comes is hit too hard for Prso.

24. 13'

    Ronaldinho plays the ball to Emerson who plays in Kaka. Croatia now concede a throw deep in their own half.

25. 14'

    Roberto Carlos hits a swerving shot with his left foot this time which is touched over by Pletikosa.

26. 15'

    From the corner, Ronaldinho hits an awkward long range effort which Pletikosa does well to knock behind.

27. 16'

    This time Ronaldinho plays it to Roberto Carlos in a well rehearsed corner from the training ground and the full-back hits a rasping drive wide of the Croatian goal.

28. 16'

    Kovan and Simic work their way down the right flank but Carlos blocks their progress and Brazil break. Ronaldinho pushes forward but the Croats are able to get the ball away.

29. 18'

    Prso does well to win the ball and seems prepared to take on the Brazilians tonight. He wins a throw-in for Croatia.

30. 19'

    Babic and Prso combine well and Babic plays a teasing ball between keeper and defence which is hit out for a corner.

31. 19'

    The corner is long and is cleared by the head of Lucio.

32. 20'

    Adriano is well tackled by Kovac and Croatia breathe a sigh of relief...for now.

33. 21'

    Ze Roberto is found by Roberto Carlos and his long cross is headed down by Adriano. Croatia manage to get the ball away and break through Kovac which takes the pressure off his defence before he loses the ball.

34. 22'

    Prso is again blown up for offside as he ambled back.

35. 23'

    Kranjcar tries a long range effort after bursting forward from midfield. His shot goes wide but daddy will be pleased.

36. 24'

    Croatia have acquitted themselves very well so far tonight and their performance in the first twenty five minutes will give them confidence. They have not been afraid to attack Brazil.

37. 25'

    Ronaldinho tries to find space on the left but is surrounded by white shirts. Croatia come away with it and Emerson conccedes a foul. Tudor takes the free-kick quickly and Klasnic tries an effort which is deflected for a corner.

38. 26'

    The corner is again headed to safety by the Brazilians.

39. 27'

    Ronaldinho's pass fails to find Ronaldo and the Croatians break up the park. Brazil win the ball back but their next attack founders on the Croatian defence again.

40. 28'

    Babic's shot strikes the legs of Emerson but he gets it back. He tries to find Prso but Brazil have other ideas and get the ball out to Adriano. Nico Kovac goes down when challenged by the bit Inter man and the Croat would appear to be doing a little bit of play-acting.

41. 31'

    Ronaldinho and Kaka are playing some nice probing balls and are waiting for a gap to appear. When it comes Ronaldo plays in Kaka and he is brought down by Nico Kovac twenty yards out. Kovac is booked.

42. 32'

    Ronaldinho's free kick is hit straight at the wall and, depsite the mercurial Brazilian's attempts to win back the ball, Croatia now have possession.

43. 33'

    A long ball is hit up towards Prso but it is too far ahead of the Rangers man.

44. 34'

    Kovac is now writhing around in agony. It has been a busy few minutes for the Croatian skipper.

45. 35'

    Kovac is coming off the park for treatment so Croatia are down to ten men.

46. 36'

    Ronaldinho flights in a ball towards the head of Adriano but Croatia get it away. The clearance breaks to Emerson but he produces a poor shot which sails over the bar.

47. 37'

    Babic and Prso once more combine well down the left and Emerson follows up his terrible shot with a rubbish tackle. Free-kick to Croatia in a dangerous spot.

48. 38'

    The ball in from the free-kick by Srna is tantalisngly close to the head of Tudor, who is six yards from goal. If the big defender had connected Brazil would be a goal down.

49. 39'

    Cafu at the other end wastefully shoots straight at Pletikosa when Brazil were applying some pressure of their own.

50. 40'

    Nico Kovac has been replaced by Ivan Leko.

51. 41'

    Ronaldihno takes an awkward pass beautifully and rides a tackle from behind before he heads towards the Croatian goal. The Croats are able to stop him getting a shot in and the move breaks down.

52. 42'

    Emerson booked for a foul on Tudor.

53. 43'

    Prso beats Lucio but couldn't find Krnajcar with his pass. Prso is doing well down the flank tonight.

54. 43'

    GOAL

55. 43'

    Kaka has pulled one out of the top drawer. Cafu sqaures it to him twenty five yards out and Kaka brilliantly makes himself half a yard of space to get away from two Croatian defenders before stroking home a beautiful shot in to the Croatian net. Bad luck on Croatia but Brazil are always likely to produce something out of nothing.

56. 45'

    Two minutes of time to be added on. Croatia will be kicking themselves for losing a goal so close to half-time.

57. 45'

    Prso snatches at a chance at the other end and Dida lets his effort drift out of play.

58. 45'

    HALF TIME

59. 45'

    A brave Croatian performance is undone by a marvellous piece of Brazilian flair. Brazil have impressed in (small) patches but have Kaka to thank for going in at half-time in front. Croatia's tactics - to sit deep and attack on the break with pace through Prso and Babic- had worked well up until that point. The next goal will decide how likely it is Croatia can hope to take something from the game.

60. 45'

    Croatia get the second half underway after waiting for the Brazilians to re-appear. Ronaldo is last to appear and that is indicative of how he has performed this evening. He appeared pretty uninterested during the first forty five minutes.

61. 45'

    Leko concedes a foul but win the ball back and Tudor gets it up to Klasnic who is himself fouled. Tudor's free-kick seeks out Tudor but Brazil head it away.

62. 47'

    Ronaldinho passes up to Adriano who is stopped by a sublime tackle from Tudor.

63. 48'

    Babic gets the ball around Cafu but Kaka comes back to cover and Brazil are eventually awarded a free-kick when Prso clatters in to Lucio.

64. 50'

    A wonderful pass from Kovac is taken superbly by Prso who beats his man and rifles a shot goalwards which Dida saves. Croatia have a corner.

65. 51'

    Brazil clear the corner when it comes in and they will be thankful they did not concede an equaliser there. Dida made a fine save from Prso.

66. 52'

    Tudor hits a poor pass which fails to find anyone other than a German ball boy.

67. 53'

    Prso drifts in from the wing and, from his pass, Klasnic pounces on a loose ball and hits a fierce drive at Dida who gets down to take the ball. Croatia are looking very dangerous here.

68. 54'

    Now Brazil attempt to exert their authority. They pass it about with little idea of what to do with it before Lucio hits a ball Jack Charlton would be proud of in the direction of Ronaldo. Croatia crowd him out easily and clear.

69. 55'

    That's more like it. Kaka feeds it to Ronaldo who strikes a fine shot goalwards from twenty five yards. It goes over the bar but shows Ronaldo is still interested in this game.

70. 56'

    Ivica Olic is on for Croatia.

71. 57'

    Leko brings Kaka down and Brazil have a free-kick on the edge of the area.

72. 57'

    Ronaldinho curls the ball in dangerously and Croatia have to head behind for a corner. When that comes in, it is played in low and Croatia hoof it to safety.

73. 59'

    Poor defensive play from Lucio allows Prso to get a shot in at goal. He is isolated and pushed wide and is unable to find the space to trouble Dida though.

74. 60'

    Babic attempts a pass to an imaginary player. He finds him.

75. 62'

    Cafu maraudes down the right and his inch perfect cross finds the head of Ronaldinho who does well to fend off the challenge of Croatia's defenders. Pletikosa parries his attempt away.

76. 63'

    Both Ronaldo and Adriano have contributed very little tonight.

77. 64'

    Prso rides a couple of challenges but just can't play in Srna. Croatia lose the ball and Ronaldinho then cleverly wins a free-kick.

78. 65'

    Kovac is booked for Croatia after catching Adriano.

79. 66'

    Babic dinks a beautifully weighted pass over the defence to feed in Olic but his cross doesn't find Prso and Brazil clear.

80. 67'

    From the corner, Croatia fashion another opening but Prso blasts a shot wastefully high in to the Berlin night.

81. 68'

    Olic is causing problems for the Brazilians now he is on.

82. 68'

    Ronaldo is off and his Real Madrid colleague Robinho replaces him.

83. 69'

    Prso beats Cafu to the ball and a corner is conceded. It is taken very quickly and Babic hits a good shotf rom sixteen yards which unfortunately is too close to Dida who saves it.

84. 71'

    Kaka's flighted ball is headed out by Tudor. Kaka comes back for more and again produces a great shot which this time is two yards wide of Pletikosa's post.

85. 72'

    Kaka holds off one Croatian challenge in the middle but is felled by a second and gets the free-kick.

86. 73'

    Robinho produces a couple of step-overs and has a shot which ends up being a pass to the lurking Adriano who just can't steer the ball home from six yards.

87. 74'

    Babic and Prso once more link up down the left and Babic shows the Brazilians a trick by nutmegging Lucio with a pass which Prso just fails to run on to.

88. 75'

    Ronaldinho's threaded pass is blocked by a white socked leg on the edge of the Croatian penalty box but Brazil still come. Robinho has picked up the pace since he came on.

89. 76'

    Roberto Carlos is found by a great pass from Ronaldinho and gets his cross in which is over-hit. Croatia now try to get out of their own half.

90. 79'

    Brazil have a free-kick about thirty five yards out towards the right wing.

91. 79'

    Roberto Carlos hits it low and hard and it is deflected twice. A poor attempt from a supposed free-kick expert.

92. 80'

    If Brazil win this would be their eight successive World Cup victory which would be a record.

93. 81'

    Cafu shows some age-defying pace to go round Babic and force a corner.

94. 82'

    Kaka takes but Leko heads it to safety.

95. 83'

    Nice bit of footwork from Simic in a tight spot but Emerson is then caught by Srna and Brazil are given another free-kick.

96. 84'

    Brazil are having the lion's share of the ball now and you get the feeling Croatia's brave exertions are starting to take their toll on their players. Their fans sense that all is not lost yet and continue to loudly exhort their team on.

97. 85'

    Then one idiot (and I don't mean Ronaldo) spoils it all by running on the pitch. Tsk tsk tsk.

98. 86'

    Intruder removed and on we now go with final four and a bit minutes. Time is running out for the Croats.

99. 87'

    Croatia are throwing men forward now. Prso plays a great ball in to the on-rushing Krnajcar but his header drifts tantalisngly over the Brazilian bar.

100. 89'

     The whole stadium is reverberating to the sound of Croatia's fans. Their team have give them plenty to cheer tonight. Although perhaps not Tudor receiving a booking for fouling Robinho.

101. 90'

     Babic loses possession to Cafu and Brazil stride up the park. Robinho then loses the ball and Croatia search once more for the gap in the Brazilian defence that will give them the goal they deserve.

102. 90'

     Tudor curls a free-kick in to the Brazilian penalty area but it is cleared by Brazil and that is the last moment of the game.

103. 90'

     FULL TIME

104. 90'

     A fine performance by the losing side and one which augurs well for their participation in this tournament. Their game against Australia is shaping up to be one of the game's of the competition so far.

105. 90'

     As for Brazil, they failed to perform anywhere near the high standards expected of them but won the game by a single goal, a story familiar to any England fan. If, and when, those two teams should it is to be hoped there will have been a marked improvement in the teams.

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