Brazil sealed a 4–0 win over India in Kolkata, but the Blue Tigers showed resilience, created chances and tested themselves against the five-time world champions.

Kolkata, October 3: The India-Brazil friendly ended with the Seleção completing the 90 minutes with four goals and a clean sheet, as the Blue Tigers suffered a 4–0 defeat against Brazil on Saturday evening at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

In a match where the Blue Tigers put in their all against the five-time world champions, the 4–0 scoreline does not completely reflect the efforts India put in on the pitch. The focus should remain on what unfolded during the 90 minutes, rather than the atmosphere in the stands or the other issues surrounding the game.

As the world knows him, Vinícius Jr started the match tonight. Within the first minute, Brazil earned a corner kick, while Vinícius’ shot from the left side of the box was cleared out by Anirudh Thapa.

Within the opening eight minutes, Vinícius had already attempted three shots on target, but the Indian defence stood firm. At the 13th minute, India launched a counter-attack as Manvir Singh made a long run into the box. However, he took a little too much time to get his shot away and missed the opportunity, with Marquinhos covering him.

Within two minutes, Manvir again posed a threat with his pace. He made another quick run, but Marquinhos cleared the ball, giving India a corner.

However, in the 28th minute, Brazil took the lead. Matheuzinho passed the ball to Estêvão on the right. The young Brazilian cut past the Blue Tigers defenders, entered the box and calmly placed the ball into the net through the crowd of players.

In the 39th minute, Pedro Guilherme’s close-range effort hit the post, but he did not take long to make up for it. Four minutes later, after receiving the ball from the right inside the box, Pedro found the back of the net to make it 2–0 for the Seleção.

In the second half, two goals down, India still tried to get back into the game and started brightly after the restart. From a quick attack down the right, Ryan Williams attempted a shot on target, but the Brazilian goalkeeper made the save.

Within two minutes, Manvir again showed his individual brilliance. He went into the box, beat Marquinhos and got his shot away, but the Brazilian goalkeeper was alert enough to deny him.

In the 58th minute, substitute Samuel Dias Lino scored Brazil’s third goal. The Indian defensive line failed to clear the ball, while Bijoy Vargese missed his attempt to intercept. Samuel Lino made no mistake and capitalised on the opportunity.

In the 67th minute, when Indian spectators thought the much-awaited goal had almost arrived, the hope faded once again. From the left, Manvir launched another quick counter-attack and, close to the edge of the box, chipped the ball towards Ryan Williams, who had moved forward in support. However, Ryan’s effort narrowly missed the target, once again leaving the Indian supporters holding their breath.

As the game moved on, Carlo Ancelotti’s boys slowed the tempo with a comfortable 3–0 lead. But in search of at least a goal, the Blue Tigers continued to create whatever chances they could.

The fourth goal eventually arrived as Samuel Dias Lino completed his brace, sealing a 4–0 victory for Brazil and bringing the historic international friendly to an end.

Against the five-time world champions, what the Indian footballers displayed on the night was certainly something to be noticed. However, after the final whistle, several questions will also remain for Indian football.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s performance will come under discussion, while India’s attack, despite producing some promising moments, failed to convert its opportunities. At the same time, Brazil’s defence did not allow the Blue Tigers to find the finishing touch.

The first two goals, in particular, will leave questions for Indian football admirers, even though India’s overall effort against one of the world’s biggest footballing nations cannot be overlooked.

The final score may read 4–0, but India’s performance cannot be judged only by the numbers against a side of Brazil’s quality. The Blue Tigers showed intent, created moments and continued to look for a way back into the game even after going two and then three goals down. The finishing was missing, while Brazil’s quality in the final third made the difference. For India, the night ended in defeat, but the 90 minutes against the five-time world champions provided another valuable experience at the highest level.