World Cup 2014: Brazil v Croatia referee scandalous - Dejan Lovren

The referee who awarded Brazil a controversial penalty should not be officiating at the World Cup, says Croatia defender Dejan Lovren.

The hosts won the opening game 3-1, but with the score at 1-1 with 20 minutes left, Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura judged Lovren to have pulled down striker Fred, despite minimal contact.  Neymar scored to give Brazil a 2-1 lead, before Oscar's late third.

"It's a scandal - this referee should not be at this World Cup," said Lovren.

The Southampton player added: "I don't know for what he deserved to be here. It's really disappointing for us because we were playing a good game against a big team.

"Two billion people I think saw that it was not a penalty. I didn't touch him."

"We're really disappointed but what can you do against 12 players? You can't do anything. I'm sad, that's it, because we played a good match and the referee - it wasn't a mistake, it was a scandal."

Fellow Croatia defender Vedran Corluka thought that the decision was "embarrassing".

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Watch highlights as Brazil beat Croatia 3-1 in the opening match of World Cup 2014

"It was the first game of the World Cup. Brazil played well, but they didn't deserve to win in this way," said the former Manchester City and Tottenham player.

"It's ridiculous he was so keen to give the decision - it was difficult to accept it."

Croatia coach Niko Kovac stated that Croatia should "give up and go home".

"We talk about respect, that wasn't respect, Croatia didn't get any. If that's a penalty, we don't need to play football anymore. Let's play basketball instead. It's a shame," said the 42-year-old.

"If you continue like this you will have 100 penalties. I think 2.5 billion people watching on TV saw this was not a penalty.

But Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari believed the referee was right to award the spot-kick.

He said: "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 also think it was a penalty. I have seen it 10 times and I think it is a penalty."

The decision came at a pivotal moment in the match. Brazil were dominating possession with Croatia holding out for what would have been a respectable opening draw. But then Fluminense striker Fred received the ball in the middle of the box with his back to goal and went down under the challenge of Lovren.

"Fred is an 85kg man and I don't believe he can be brought to the ground in such a manner," added Kovac.

"I cannot blame Fred at all - everyone tries it on. Like it or not, this is part and parcel of football. What I want is for referees to stick to the laws of the game and apply them equally to both teams."

Croatia took the lead through Marcelo's own-goal, before Neymar equalised just before the half-hour mark.

The Barcelona forward scored Brazil's second with that controversial penalty and Chelsea's Oscar toe-poked the third goal from 20 yards in the 90th minute.

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