Uruguay 6 (Nunez-penalty, Araujo-2, Zalazar, Sanabria, Aguirre) India 1 (unhindered)
Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: After a 1-1 draw with Panama at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, the Indian football team created an aspiration in the minds of football fans in this country. The 0-4 defeat against Carles Ancelotti and Vinicius' Brazil, ranked 6th in the FIFA rankings, in the second FIFA friendly at the Yuva Bharati ground did not leave India in a position of humiliation as much as the 1-6 defeat against Uruguay, ranked 20th in the FIFA rankings. In the 82 Nehru Cup, India lost to Uruguay by 1-3 goals in this Kolkata ground. In the 2001 Millennium Cup, India lost to Uruguay by 0-3 goals in Kochi ground. And this time the shame increased even more with a 1-6 goal defeat.
Uruguay defeated India in a crushing manner and explained why they are 118 steps ahead of India. In short, Uruguay, which is trying to turn around under the coaching of Diogo Forlano, brought India down to the ground of reality. It showed that India is still a minor in world football. Apart from expressing temporary excitement over a goal scored by Anirudh Thapar, the Indian footballers could not do anything to be happy for the rest of the match. Indian team chief coach Khalid Jamil, of course, can feel proud after conceding 11 goals in three friendly matches, saying that his footballers have scored 2 goals. But I do not think that Indian football has advanced even a hair from its previous position. Indian football remained in the same state it was in.
In the starting XI of the Uruguay team, coach Diego Forlan kept midfielders Emiliano, Zalazar, Bentacur, Araujo, and forwards Nunes, Vinaci, who were in the FIFA 2026 World Cup team. Uruguay did not win a single match in the FIFA 2026 World Cup under the coaching of Marcelo Bielsa. The Uruguay team, which is at number 20 in the FIFA rankings, is not doing well. They have won only one of their last 9 international matches. That was against South Korea 4-1 before coming to play in Kolkata. So Uruguay coach Forlan has focused on reorganizing the team. His aim is to restore Uruguay's lost honor. With that aim, he asked the footballers to jump with the passion to win against India. He also got the benefit of it.
However, seeing India's game at the beginning, it did not seem that India would concede 6 goals. In fact, there was a sense of alertness in India's play in the first 10 minutes. Anwar's shot from the top of the box, which came after India's first corner, narrowly missed the target after 6 minutes, flying just over the crossbar. India would have gone ahead had Edmund's easy goal opportunity not been saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Cardozo in the 9th minute. But in the next minute, India conceded a goal of their own. In the 10th minute, Nunes got the ball in the middle of the box and went into the box to take a shot, but Indian defender Prambir tripped him. The referee did not hesitate to give a penalty. This is inexperience. Such mistakes are not new to Indian footballers in international football. They have had to pay for this mistake before too. Nunes scored from the penalty spot to give Uruguay the lead. In the 16th minute, Nunes made a move from behind, played a give-and-take, and when Araujo received the ball that turned around, it went under the right post, avoiding the reach of goalkeeper Gurpreet's outstretched hand.
In the 23rd minute, Ryan's shot was partially blocked by Uruguayan goalkeeper Cardozo, but Anirudh Thapa scored the equalizer for India (1-1). India had a chance to take the lead in the 25th minute. When the Uruguayan defender tackled the ball in Edmund's possession in the middle of the box, it fell behind Abhishek Singh's feet. Abhishek took a shot, but the Uruguayan goalkeeper caught it with agility.
When the Indian footballers were holding Uruguay, nature took its toll on India's dominance. The match commissioner stopped the game after 27 minutes. He ordered the referee to take the footballers out of the field. Due to heavy lightning in the sky of Yuva Bharati. Along with rain. However, mainly because of the lightning, the footballers, coaches and all the people present on the field were asked to leave the field and go inside. The spectators also went inside the gallery to escape the rain and thunder.
The game started after a 35-minute break. India conceded a goal in one minute, that is, in the 28th minute. It is not unusual for the mental concentration to be disrupted due to the stoppage of the game. This is the difference in the professionalism of the Indian footballers compared to the Uruguayan footballers. The Uruguayan footballers entered the field and scored the second goal without even breaking a sweat before the Indian defenders could organize themselves. Araujo, who quickly picked up the ball on the right wing and reached the edge of the box, beat Gurpreet with a right-footed shot when Nandez was left out. At that time, no Indian defender was in place to stop him. In the 37th minute, when Nunes received a through ball from behind in the Indian midfield, there was a lot of space in front. Goalkeeper Gurpreet stood helplessly in the box. When Nunes entered the box and took a shot, it hit Gurpreet's head and bounced back, saving India from conceding a third goal.
The score at the break was 2-1. When Uruguay coach Forlan made two changes in the second half, Indian coach Khalid Jamil brought in Edmund for Sahal and Vijay Varghese for Prambir at stopper. Although the addition of a new player was expected to add more energy to India's game, it did not happen. On the contrary, the rhythm of the team was ruined. Uruguay's players took full advantage of it.
In the 53rd minute, Nunes headed the ball down and Jalazar scored a goal to give Uruguay a 3-1 lead. From then on, the Indian team was completely disoriented. There was no understanding between the midfield and the defense. Taking advantage of this disorganized play by the Indian team, Uruguay scored the fourth goal in the 59th minute. Araujo caught Nunes' extended pass and beat Gurpreet with a powerful shot. This was his second goal of the match.
In the 70th minute, the Uruguay goalkeeper punched away a shot similar to the goal of Sanan, who came on as a substitute in India. In the next moment, Facundo, who came down as a substitute, counterattacked and missed the Indian defender, but another substitute player, Sanabria, sent it into the goal. The ball went high over Gurpreet's head and into the goal (5-1). Both Facundo and Sanabria were in the last World Cup squad. They explained why they were World Cup players.
Indian coach Khalid Jamil lifted goalkeeper Gurpreet from the shame of not conceding another goal and sent Albino Gomes off. Luckily, he did, otherwise Gurpreet would have had to leave the field with the shame of conceding 6 goals. Albino scored the 6th goal in the 87th minute. Aguirre received the ball in the box and coolly struck the ball into the net with a left-footed shot like a butter knife, ending India's roller-coaster ride to a 6-1 victory.
The hopes that were raised for Indian football after the 1-1 draw with Panama were dashed in an instant after a 4-0 defeat to Brazil and a 1-6 defeat to Uruguay. After the loss to Brazil, coach Khalid Jamil had a frank confession that he was giving himself a zero out of 10. After the 1-6 defeat to Uruguay, it can be said that the entire Indian team failed miserably after receiving a zero.
India: Gurpreet (Albino), Abhishek (Valpuia), Anwar, Pramveer (Vijay), Akash, Manvir (Rahim) Apuia, Anirudh, Ashiq (Sanan), Ryan, Edmund (Sahal).