Brazil opened their World Cup encounter with a 3-1 victory over Croatia, by the help of, two goals from Neymar and third from Oscar.

Brazil opened their World Cup encounter with a 3-1  victory over Croatia, by the help of,  two goals from Neymar and  third from Oscar.

Neymar, the super boy of Brazilian football, place his side in advance in contentious circumstances in the 71st minute. Neymar had before equalised with a low long-range strike which crept beyond Stipe Pletikosa’s dive after Niko Kovac’s side had threatened to spoil the party by taking a deserved lead in the 11th minute through Marcelo’s own goal, while Oscar completing the scoring in the Group A opener in added time.

And in the 11th minute a nation was silenced as another superb run and cross from Olic down the left saw Nikica Jelavic get to the ball ahead of David Luiz and, although he failed to get a clean contact, the unfortunate Marcelo could only turn it into his own net.

The Croatia goalkeeper was in action again soon after, plunging to his right to push away a curling long-range effort from Oscar after Neymar’s persistence had taken him to the byline before his pull-back was cleared.

Barcelona ace Neymar then went into the book for catching Real Madrid’s Luka Modric with an arm across his throat, with the Croatia players unhappy it was not red, and Jelavic tested Julio Cesar with a header from Perisic’s cross with Olic screaming for a pull-back.

Brazil were then gifted their route to victory in the 71st minute when Fred threw himself to the ground under minimal pressure and contact from Lovren as he attempted to reach Oscar’s cross, with Nishimura’s verdict allowing Neymar to convert, although Pletikosa got his hands to the penalty.

It was almost 3-1 in the 77th minute when another fine Oscar cross was headed over the bar by David Luiz with Neymar closing in behind him to convert and claim a hat-trick.