Uruguay emerge victorious by 6-1 against India

Uruguay’s Darwin Nunez (No. 9) converts a penalty to open the scoring against India in Kolkata on Tuesday. Uruguay won 6-1. Pic/PTI

India suffered their biggest loss of the three international friendlies they played over a period of less than a fortnight, yet the 1-6 defeat to Uruguay at the Salt Lake Stadium on Tuesday showed Khalid Jamil's men in the best light. Refusing to relent from an attacking mindset despite conceding the goals, they showed commitment and comfort on the ball that got the approval and applause of some 30,000 that made it to the terraces. And they had a goal to boot.

The half-time score read 1-2, but Diego Forlan's men turned it on from there.

Unlike the Panama and Brazil matches, the proceedings began on a more tactical note with the Uruguayans trying to take control of the midfield with quick passing and the Indians keeping things tight with man-to-man marking. The Blue Tigers showed intent by launching attacks whenever the opportunity came. Both flanks were used nicely to stretch the Uruguayan defence and Anwar Ali actually got off a shot from top of the box as early as the sixth minute, but it sailed over.

However, India soon suffered a setback when Pramveer's tackle on Darwin Nunez in the penalty box was deemed a foul by the referee, and Nunez himself slotted home from the spot.

To India's credit they quickly put behind the disappointment to keep up the attacking tenor in their game. The effort bore fruit in the 23rd minute. Receiving the ball in the centre circle, Ryan Williams carried it for about 20 yards down the middle before shooting sharp and low into an opening between two retreating defenders. Goalkeeper Thiago Cardozo managed to parry the ball but Anirudh Thapa pounced on the rebound to slot it home. The 30,000 on the terraces rose in a deafening roar.

The game was stopped because of lightening, and when it resumed 35 minutes later, the Indians were caught unaware by a lightening move from Forlan's men. A 40-yard through pass had Nahitan Nandez running down the right, who playing it perfectly for Maxi Araujo to tap in from seven yards out.

The visitors extended the lead eight minutes into the second half with Rodrigo Zalazar drilling the ball past Gurpreet's Singh Sandhu's near post. Six minutes later, it was 4-1 with Araujo scoring his second of the night. A cross from the right in the 70th minute had substitute Sanabria guiding it into the goal. Substitute Rodrigo Aguirre completed the rout in the 86th. India's fight bowed to class.