Kolarov stunner wins it for Serbia
Print Edition
Aleksandar Kolarov scored from a left-footed free kick in the 56th minute and Serbia opened its World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica yesterday.
After David Guzman was handed a yellow card, Kolarov curled the ensuing free kick over the wall. Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas, of Real Madrid, couldn’t reach it.
Serbia, which missed out on the 2014 tournament, had the early advantage in a tough group that includes five-time champion Brazil and Switzerland.
After a scoreless first half, Navas fought off a barrage of challenges to open the second with the boisterous Costa Rican fans cheering him on at Samara Arena.
The final moments of the match were marked by a squabble on the sidelines as Nemanja Matic got into a tussle with a Costa Rican coach. Players from both teams rushed toward the scrum but it was quickly diffused.
The Ticos were the surprise of the last World Cup, sweeping through to the quarterfinals in Brazil before being ousted by the Netherlands on penalties. It was the furthest the small Central American nation had advanced in soccer’s premier tournament.
But there was some uncertainty surrounding the Ticos after a pair of friendly losses heading into the World Cup, including a 1-4 rout by Belgium a week ago.
Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic, who replaced Slavoljub Muslin last year, put together a veteran defense with Kolarov, who plays for AS Roma, and former Chelsea player Branislav Ivanovic. Also included was Manchester United midfielder Matic.
The opening half between Costa Rica and Serbia was back and forth from the start: Aleksandar Mitrovic’s header missed the target in the opening minute and moments later Marco Urena’s angled shot for Costa Rica was saved in the left corner by Vladimir Stojkovic.
Ivanovic made his record 104th appearance for the national team, surpassing Dejan Stankovic’s mark. The 34-year-old Ivanovic had matched Stankovic’s record last Saturday in a 5-1 friendly win over Bolivia. Stankovic, known as “Deki,” played for the national team from 1998-2013, through three different eras: Yugoslavia, Serbia-Montenegro and finally Serbia.
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