Organizers may as well give the World Cup to Brazil right now, according to Croatia’s Dejan Lovren, after the defender found himself at the center of a penalty controversy in his team’s 3-1 defeat to the host nation Thursday.Brazil striker Fred went down in the penalty area under slight contact from Lovren in the 71st minute, allowing Neymar to convert a spot kick that gave Brazil a decisive 2-1 lead in Thursday’s tournament opener.Lovren said referee Yuichi Nishimura’s decision was a “big shame” and that “if it is like this, then we can give the World Cup directly to Brazil.”Of course I am angry. I want to cry now but what can you do?” he told reporters. “If you look at the game I think you saw everything. So I don’t need to explain.”Criticism of Nishimura’s penalty award was shared by Croatia coach Niko Kovac, whose team continues its Group A campaign against Cameroon on Wednesday.”It was a wrong decision by the referee,” Kovac said. “I think that the whole world saw the big mistake.”Midfielder Ivan Rakitic added: “This was a great game by both teams and it’s a pity it was spoiled by a bad referee decision.”Other Croatia players said they were pleased with their performance while expressing anger about the officiating.Defender Vedran Corluka described the penalty as “embarrassing.””I think that when it was 1-1 in the second half we were quite in control of the game and after he gave the penalty it changed the game,” Corluka told The Associated Press. “I congratulate Brazil, but I don’t think they deserved to win today.”
