India Faces Uruguay in a Challenging Match Despite Thapa's Historic Goal

Thapa's Historic Equalizer Amidst Uruguay's Dominance

Anirudh Thapa made a significant impact by scoring first for India, guiding the ball past Uruguay's goalkeeper Thiago Cardozo, much to the delight of the 37,307 fans present. This moment marked a brief period where the Blue Tigers held their own against the two-time world champions. However, the match was interrupted by lightning shortly after.

Once play resumed, Uruguay quickly regained control and ultimately triumphed over India with a score of 6-1 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 6. Thapa's goal was a remarkable achievement in Indian football history, making him only the second Indian player to score against Uruguay in a senior international match, following Manas Bhattacharya's goal during the 1982 Nehru Cup.

Strong Start and Thapa's Equalizer

Uruguay demonstrated their intent early in the match, with Rodrigo Zalazar sending a cross that was cleared by Anwar Ali in the third minute. India, however, did not retreat and continued to press forward. In the sixth minute, Akash Mishra's long throw into the penalty area was followed by a shot from Ryan Williams, which went wide after a clearance.

Just three minutes later, India came close to scoring when Maximiliano Araujo lost possession to Williams, who then passed to Edmund Lalrindika. Although Lalrindika attempted to shoot, Santiago Mourino's sliding tackle thwarted his effort.

Uruguay took the lead in the 11th minute with a penalty kick after Pramveer fouled Federico Vinas in the box. Nunez successfully converted the penalty, sending Gurpreet Singh Sandhu the wrong way.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead five minutes later when Nunez collected a long ball and set up Araujo, whose shot hit the right post.

India continued to seek opportunities, and in the 23rd minute, Williams won the ball in midfield, maneuvered past Emiliano Martínez, and took a shot that was spilled by Cardozo. Thapa was quick to react, finishing the rebound and leveling the score, much to the joy of the Kolkata crowd.

Uruguay Takes Control After Weather Delay

The match faced a significant interruption in the 27th minute due to lightning, leading to a hydration break that lasted about half an hour.

Upon resuming, Uruguay quickly regained the lead. Mouriño found Nahitan Nández on the right, whose low cross was converted by Araujo in the 29th minute.

Nunez had a chance to extend the lead in the 37th minute, but Sandhu managed to block his attempted chip. India went into halftime trailing 1-2, prompting Khalid Jamil to make substitutions, bringing in Bijoy Varghese and Sahal Abdul Samad.

Uruguay scored their third goal in the 53rd minute when substitute Lucas Torreira delivered a ball over the top, allowing Nunez to head it down for Zalazar, who finished at the near post.

Williams attempted to respond with a shot after evading two defenders, but Cardozo saved it comfortably. Six minutes later, Vinas assisted Araujo, who scored his second goal with a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

India had their moments as well, with Lalengmawia's shot going just over the bar in the 62nd minute, and Cardozo having to tip Mohammed Sanan's shot over in the 70th.

A counterattack caught India off guard a minute later, with Aguirre setting up Facundo Pellistri, who assisted Sanabria for a close-range goal.

Pellistri was involved again in the 87th minute, carrying the ball forward and finding Aguirre, who curled in Uruguay's sixth goal into the top-left corner.

A Challenging Match for the Blue Tigers

India concluded this three-match window with a draw against Panama and losses to Brazil and Uruguay, scoring twice while conceding 11 goals against teams that participated in the 2026 World Cup. Thapa's goal remains a highlight of the night, showcasing the rapid pace at which a match can shift at this level.