FIFA World Cup: Croatia vs Brazil, Preview, and prediction
Brazil will be looking to preserve their chances of winning a record-extending sixth World Cup when they play Croatia in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals on Friday at Education City Stadium
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The gripping Croatia vs Brazil encounter - will Neymar be the difference?In the first half against Japan, Croatia’s efforts were pedestrian, particularly in comparison to the high energy exhibited by the Japanese.
They scored a deserved goal just before half-time, but Ivan Perisic equalised with a powerful header early in the second half. After that, both teams appeared content to settle for extra time and penalties, with Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saving three easy shots from the Japanese to advance his team to the quarter-finals.
Brazil, who had only intermittently displayed signs of their brilliance during the group stage, erupted in their match against South Korea in the Round of 16. They destroyed the Koreans with four top-notch goals in a dominant first-half performance of flowing forward play, which allowed them to ease off in the second half and coast to a 4-1 victory.
The renowned Brazilian playmaker, Neymar Jr., has made two appearances this World Cup and scored one goal for the team with one assist.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> quarter-final time for Brazil as they take on Croatia this afternoon 🙌 <br><br>Good luck, <a href="https://twitter.com/_fabinhotavares?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_fabinhotavares</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Alissonbecker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Alissonbecker</a> 🇧🇷 <a href="https://t.co/qNBcHT8kUO">pic.twitter.com/qNBcHT8kUO</a></p>— Liverpool FC (@LFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1601142219066339328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Croatia have the inventive experience to cause issues if they can keep the Brazilians away from their goal for long enough to gain a footing of their own, but it's difficult to imagine Brazil failing to be using this encounter as a stepping stone to future, more difficult battles.
After comfortably dispatching South Korea in the last 16, Brazil are brimming with confidence but Friday's contest may not be a cakewalk against a nation of Croatia's calibre with their knockout-stage pedigree.
Predicted lineup
Croatia: Livakovic, Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa, Kovacic, Brozovic, Modric, Kramaric, Petkovic, Perisic.
Brazil: Alisson, Militao, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Danilo, Casemiro, Paqueta, Raphinha, Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Richarlison.