Football: Thapa Scores But India Go Down 1-6 To Strong Uruguayan Side

Football: Thapa scores but India go down 1-6 to strong Uruguayan side (Anirudh Thapa scores but India go down 1-6 to strong Uruguayan side in an International Friendly at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Kriranga in Kolkata on Tuesday. Photo credit: AIFF)

Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Kriranga:  The national senior men's football team ended its international window with a disappointing 1-6 defeat to two-time World Cup winner Uruguay at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Kriranga in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Anirudh Thapa scored the lone goal for India in the 22nd minute to level an early goal from the penalty spot by Darwin Nunez in the 12th minute. The visitors then scored five times, with Maxi Araujo scoring a brace of goals in the 28th and 59th minutes. Rodrigo Zalazar (53rd), JM Sanabria (71st), and Rodrigo Aguirre (86th minute) secured a comfortable victory.

It was overall a mixed International Window for India as they drew 1-1 with Panama and lost to Brazil and Uruguay, the two World Cup winners they met in the last few weeks.

Thapa created a memorable moment for Indian football as he scored against a World Cup winner.

Thapa reached the loose ball first, guided it beyond Uruguay goalkeeper Thiago Cardozo and turned towards 37,307 spectators roaring at the sight of India level with Uruguay. For a brief spell on Tuesday, the Blue Tigers had given the two-time world champions a contest. Lightning halted it soon afterwards. When play resumed, La Celeste struck quickly and did not allow the hosts to make another comeback.

Thapa’s equaliser was a piece of Indian football history even in defeat. He became only the second Indian to score against Uruguay in a senior international, following Manas Bhattacharya, who scored in India’s 3-1 loss at Eden Gardens in the 1982 Nehru Cup.

Uruguay signalled their intent in the third minute when Rodrigo Zalazar delivered a cross that Anwar Ali cleared. India, however, did not retreat into their own half. Akash Mishra launched a long throw into the penalty area in the sixth minute; after the clearance fell to Ryan Williams, Anwar sent the follow-up wide.

Three minutes later, India came closer. Maximiliano Araújo surrendered possession to Williams, who released Edmund Lalrindika. Lalrindika shaped to shoot, but Santiago Mouriño’s sliding challenge stopped him.

Uruguay took the lead from the penalty spot. Pramveer slid in on Federico Viñas as the forward chased the ball inside the area, and referee Rustam Lutfullin pointed to the spot. Núñez sent Gurpreet Singh Sandhu the wrong way in the 11th minute. The visitors almost added another five minutes later: Núñez gathered a long ball on the left and found Zalazar, whose lay-off set up Araújo for a first-time shot against the right post.

India kept looking for a way forward. In the 23rd minute, Williams won the ball in midfield, skipped past Emiliano Martínez and drove into space before shooting. Cardozo split the effort, and Thapa reacted quickest, keeping his composure to finish the rebound. His goal brought India level and gave the Kolkata crowd a moment to savour.

The momentum was interrupted in the 27th minute. A hydration break became a stoppage of around half an hour as the game was stopped because of lightning and inclement weather. Uruguay restored their lead almost immediately after the restart. Mouriño picked out Nahitan Nández in space on the right; his low cross reached Araújo, who finished from close range in the 29th minute.

Núñez had a chance to stretch the lead in the 37th minute after running on to a through ball, but Sandhu rushed out and blocked the attempted chip with his face. India reached half-time trailing 1-2. Khalid Jamil then introduced Bijoy Varghese and Sahal Abdul Samad for Pramveer and Edmund.

Uruguay’s third arrived in the 53rd minute. Substitute Lucas Torreira sent a ball over the top, Núñez headed it down, and Zalazar took a touch before driving past Sandhu at the near post. Williams tried to respond with a shot after beating two players, but Cardozo gathered it comfortably.

Six minutes later, Vinas threaded a pass through for Araújo, who moved into the box and placed a left-footed finish into the bottom corner for his second goal. India still had attacking moments. Lalengmawia’s effort flew just over in the 62nd minute, while Cardozo had to react sharply to tip Mohammed Sanan’s left-footed shot over the bar in the 70th.

India were caught on the counterattack from a corner a minute later. Aguirre sent Facundo Pellistri down the right, and Pellistri picked out fellow substitute Sanabria for a close-range finish. Pellistri was involved again in the 87th minute, carrying the ball forward and finding Aguirre, who curled Uruguay’s sixth into the top-left corner.

Six minutes later, Vinas threaded a pass through for Araújo, who moved into the box and placed a left-footed finish into the bottom corner for his second goal. India still had attacking moments. Lalengmawia’s effort flew just over in the 62nd minute, while Cardozo had to react sharply to tip Mohammed Sanan’s left-footed shot over the bar in the 70th.

Article Source: IANS