Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon

[FCBarca]

Obviously the penalty call was terrible, made worse by the fact that there wasn't an assistant referee anywhere near the action in the box to confirm - I mean, what is the point of the extra assistant for those calls if they're never there to confirm anything?...I think a referee at this level and in a competition like the WC has to be sure and while Lovren is man-handling Fred, it was a dive

Shame too since I thought the crew only had one other decision that you could question and that was the foul by Olic on Cesar ahead of Croatia's attempt at an equalizer...Seemed a harsh decision and right after the penalty, it gave the ugly impression of FIFA looking to ensure a Brasilian win

On a side note, happy to see that vanishing spray in use for freekicks...Glad it'll be in use for CL, long overdue

 

[Rahj]

actually to ref wasn't good from the start of the game. there were wrong offside decisions, wrong throw ins.

 

[LeeRomeno]

Was not impressed by Brazil team, but lets just see how this goes on, i think public pressure will be even bigger for refs now and this will work against Brazil, have yet to see other teams in this group, but Croatia played really well, especially in second half and with full roster in next 2 games will have a great chance in advancing.

 

[Ursegor]

DAT referee.

 

[BrazilFan]

He did get the ball first but the follow through. I expect some more shit officiating this tournament.

 

[BBZ8800]

 

[DB10]

That pen would never have been given to Croatia, spoiled a game that was perfectly poised.

 

[BarcaGirl]

 

[dakt]

Yeah well, done deal. Our toughest games are about to come, Cameron and Mexico...we tend to loose easily against "weaker" teams. I wouldn't be surprised to end up last in the group.

 

[Raed]

Awful ref , robbed Croatia blind all night... disallowed goal , phantom penalty & a clear foul on Rakitic.. he just missed scoring a goal himself

Brazil is piss poor apart from Neymar , the rest of the team won't get into most top sides probably with the exception of the defensive line instead of the current Argentina one...

Croatia manager need to utilize Rakitic & Modric properly.. by that let i mean to let them do their thing & play anyone as DM.. .. you take two creative playmakers and play them both as DM's is stupid... if they were allowed their club roles Brazil would have suffered the same way they suffered against France in WC 2006

Worst Brazilian side i remember up there with the World cup 1990 ...

He just needs to replace Kovavic with a DM, because both Modric and Rakitic were awesome but mistake prone at the back.

My favorite player is Olic, man the intensity on that player is lovely.

 

[Raed]

Fred thanking god for helping him win a penalty with a dive. Gotta love that integrity.

Agree Oscar was the best player on the pitch. Croatia will go through.

Funniest thing in the game.

This Brazil team is not nearly as bad as you guys make them out to be. Minor adjusments and the first 11 is excellent.

As much as I hate Hulk he was playing with an injury apparently so we might see a better hulk. Their defensive line is good, just that Paulinho is garbage.

They have Ramires and Bernard in the team, both can boost the midfield 10 folds and Fred, as much as I hate this fucker, will score.

 

[IbraFTW]

Sepuku.

 

[IbraFTW]

WC hosts have always had special treatment (and this might be true for all competitions). I hate it as much as anybody else, but it's silly to be surprised. It will probably remain so until the end of the tournament, and Brasil's opponents need to take this into account. Not fair, but that's how it is.

 

[Ode to Django]

I thought Cameroon weren't bothering this year

 

[Bertus]

The problem with the referee is that even if he's clean, he's human and reads/sees what happens in Brazil.

I bet referees are terrified to do a mistake that would give Brazil a disadvantage because they don't want to feel responsible for riots and such if Brazil team does horrible.

So when they are not sure, they will - IMO - always pick Brazil over any other teams.