Aleksandar Kolarov gives Serbia 1-0 lead over Costa Rica

Captain Aleksandar Kolarov has given Serbia a 1-0 lead against Costa Rica. His free kick curled over the wall and diving Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas wasn't able to reach it before it sailed into the upper right corner in the 56th minute. The free kick came after a yellow card on Costa Rica's David Guzman.

Earlier, the opening half between Costa Rica and Serbia was back and forth, right from the start: Aleksandar Mitrovic's header was off in the opening minute and moments later Marco Urena's angled shot for Costa Rica was saved in the left corner by Vladimir Stojkovic.

Following a corner kick, David Guzman popped the ball to Giancarlo Gonzalez but his header sailed over the net in the 12th minute. Branislav Ivanovic's cross was knocked out of the box by Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas three minutes later.


Sergej Milinkovic-Savic challenged Navas in the 27th from just outside the box, but Navas fell on the ball.

Urena's right-foot strike from outside the box in the 39th went over the bar. A short time later Calvo's chance was wide, and Stojkovic gestured for his side to calm down.

Milinkovic-Savic's bicycle kick from in front of goal was ruled offside in the 42nd.

Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic named Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the starting XI for his team's opening World Cup Group E match against Costa Rica in Samara on Sunday.

The 23-year-old Lazio midfielder did not play during Serbia's successful qualification campaign, with his exclusion cited as one of the main reasons Slavo Muslin was sacked as coach in October last year.

Krstajic, a former Serbian international defender, has called on plenty of experience, though, with former Chelsea centre-back Branislav Ivanovic, Roma defender Aleksandar Kolarov and Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic all starting.

Costa Rica, surprise quarter-finalists in Brazil four years ago, have left Arsenal forward Joel Campbell and full-back Bryan Oviedo on the bench.

But Keylor Navas starts in goal, just three weeks after helping Real Madrid lift a third consecutive Champions League title, with Sporting Lisbon winger Bryan Ruiz captaining the side.

Costa Rica
Keylor Navas - Johnny Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Oscar Duarte, Francisco Calvo - Cristian Gamboa, Celso Borges, Bryan Ruiz - David Guzman, Johan Venegas, Marcos Urena

Coach: Oscar Ramirez (CRC)

Serbia
Vladimir Stojkovic - Dusko Tosic, Branislav Ivanovic, Aleksandar Kolarov - Nikola Milenkovic, Luka Milivojevic, Dusan Tadic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Nemanja Matic - Adem Ljajic, Aleksandar Mitrovic

Coach: Mladen Krstajic (SRB)