Croatia Coach Kovac Aims to Surprise Brazil in World Cup Opener
Croatia faces a daunting challenge in their opening 2014 World Cup match against host nation Brazil. Coach Niko Kovac is undeterred, vowing to “create a surprise” and target a historic result.
Kovac emphasized his team’s intention to control possession, mirroring Brazil’s style: “If you have the ball, your opponent cannot score.” Despite missing star striker Mario Mandzukic, Kovac plans to attack and not just defend, knowing that scoring is essential against the strong Brazilian side.
Acknowledging Brazil as favorites, Kovac said, “We’ll fight for second place,” while dismissing concerns about Neymar alone: “Brazil is not just about Neymar, there are many good players. We are also a great team, and Brazil must think about us.”
The match kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. GMT, marking the start of the World Cup.
