First game, first controversy
It only took one game, the tournament opener at the World Cup to spark the first controversial decision by the referee. The Croatian side accused the Japanese referee for awarding Brazil a penalty shot to easy when the game was tied at one.
Croatia's coach was very vocal about it at the end of the game and pointed at Yuichi Nishimura for ruining Croatia's night. “If that's how we start the World Cup, we better give it up now and go home. This was ridiculous and if we continue in this way, we will have a circus. Fred is a 85 kg man and I don't believe he can be brought to the ground in such a manner,” Niko Kovac.
In the 70th minute, Fred went down in the penalty box after a duel with Dejan Lovren. The Croatian defender had a hand on Brazil's striker, and he immediately went down forcing the Japanese referee to indicate the penalty spot. Despite the heavy criticism, Brazilians consider the penalty was correctly awarded.
“Millions didn't see the penalty? The referee did and he said it was a penalty and they are the ones that must decide. We think it was a penalty. I have seen it at least ten times and I think it is a penalty,” Luis Felipe Scolari, Brazil's manager said.
