Brazil v Croatia, 13 June 2006

Score1-0 to Brazil
RefereeBenito Archundia
CompetitionFIFA World Cup Finals group F
VenueBerliner Olympiastadion, Berlin
Attendance72,000

View Brazil v Croatia head to head

Kick-Off: 21:00 Local (20:00 BST) Assistant referees: José Ramírez (Mexico) Héctor Vergara (Canada) Fourth official: Mohamed Guezzaz (Morocco) Fifth official: Brahim Djezzar (Algeria) Man of the Match: Kaká (Brazil) Brazil had met Croatia on only one previous occasion. It was a 1-1 draw in Split on 17 August 2005 when Niko Kranjcar and Ricardinho scored the goals.

1 Brazil

Manager: Carlos Alberto Parriera

0 Croatia

Manager: Zlatko Kranjcar

Goals:

Kaka 44 G

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Dida
Defender Cafu (captain)
Defender Juan
Defender Roberto Carlos
Defender/Centre back Lucio
Midfielder Emerson
Midfielder Kaka
Midfielder Ronaldinho
Midfielder Ze Roberto
Forward Adriano
Forward Ronaldo

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa
Defender Robert Kovac
Defender Dario Simic
Defender Josip Simunic
Defender Igor Tudor
Defender/Midfielder Darijo Srna
Midfielder Marko Babic
Midfielder Niko Kovac (captain)
Midfielder Niko Kranjcar
Forward Ivan Klasnic
Forward Dado Prso

Substitutions:

Robinho for Ronaldo 69

Substitutions:

Jerko Leko for Niko Kovac 41
Ivica Olic for Ivan Klasnic 57

Cards:

Emerson 42 Y

Cards:

Niko Kovac 32 Y
Robert Kovac 67 Y
Igor Tudor 90 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Júlio César
Goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni
Defender Cicinho
Defender Cris
Defender Gilberto
Defender/Centre back Luisão
Midfielder Gilberto Silva
Midfielder Juninho Pernambucano
Midfielder Carlos Mineiro
Midfielder Ricardinho
Forward Fred
Forward Robinho

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Tomislav Butina
Goalkeeper Joey Didulica
Defender Ivan Bosnjak
Defender Anthony Seric
Defender Mario Tokic
Defender/Midfielder Stjepan Tomas
Midfielder Ivan Leko
Midfielder Jerko Leko
Midfielder Luka Modrić
Midfielder Jurica Vranjes
Forward Bosko Balaban
Forward Ivica Olic

Comments:

Brazil set a new record with their eighth consecutive wins in the World Cup finals. Italy recorded seven consecutive wins in 1934 and 1938. Brazil have now won their opening games in their last seven World Cup finals. A sad performance by Ronaldo, who was clearly out of condition, placed his future in the Brazil team in doubt. He still needs two more goals to equal Gerd Muller's World Cup record aggregate total of 14.

Comments:

This was Croatia's first defeat in 11 competitive matches. They had been unbeaten since Euro 2004 when they lost their final group match against England. Keeper Stipe Pletikosa was making his 50th appearance for Croatia. Brothers Niko and Robert Kovac also played in the 2002 World Cup finals.