Brazil vs. India Friendly in Kolkata Generates Buzz and Statistics

The Brazilian national team played a friendly football match against India at Salt Lake Stadium, located in the city of Kolkata. The international clash drew public attention by bringing together the five-time world champions and the Indian team, ranked 138th in the world. The game marked the first friendly in history between the two men's national teams.

Lineups and Coaching Staffs

The Brazilian team took to the field under coach Carlo Ancelotti, starting with Pedro Morisco in goal, accompanied by defenders Matheuzinho, Marquinhos, Arthur Dias, and Douglas Santos. The midfield consisted of Gabriel Bontempo, Andrey Santos, and Danilo Santos, while the attack featured Estêvão, Pedro, and Vinícius Júnior. Throughout the match, substitutes such as Endrick, Samuel Lino, Gabriel Magalhães, and Bruno Guimarães also played.

India, led by coach Khalid Ahmed Jamil, started the match with goalkeeper Singh Sandhu and defenders Abhishek Singh, Varghese, Ali, and Mishra. The midfield featured Ralte, Thapa, Williams, Samad, and Kuruniyan, with Manvir Singh positioned in attack. Indian substitutions brought players like P. Gill, J. Gupta, and E. Lalrindika onto the field.

Match Statistics Overview

Official figures indicated Brazil's control throughout the game, registering 63.5% possession against India's 36.5%. The Brazilian team had 13 shots, with five on target and one hitting the post, in addition to 20 touches in the opponent's box. The Indians recorded eight shots, with three on target and nine touches in the opponent's area.

Regarding passes, the visiting team exchanged 451 passes with 90.5% accuracy, compared to the home team's 250 attempts and 83.2% success rate. Both sides tied with six corners earned and 14 defensive clearances each.

Match Highlights and Score

During the match, the score registered a 3-0 result for Brazil. One of the goals was scored by Samuel Lino, who shot with his right foot from the left side of the box after a pass from Pedro. The Brazilian team also created a chance with a shot wide from Endrick, assisted by Bruno Guimarães.

For India, Ryan Williams attempted blocked shots and shots wide from the right side. Player Edmund Lalrindika had a shot blocked from outside the box, and Manvir Singh forced a save in the top corner from Brazilian goalkeeper Pedro Morisco.

Indian Fans' Reaction

The presence of the Brazilian squad in Kolkata created a divided fanbase among local residents who attended the 65,000-seat stadium wearing yellow jerseys. Joydeep Pal, a member of a Brazil fan club in the city, reported following names like Vinícius Júnior, Danilo Santos, and Endrick on television, splitting his feelings between supporting his home country and the visiting team. In India, football shares the sports landscape with cricket, which is the country's most popular sport, and the Indian national team has never qualified for a World Cup.

Security Measures in Kolkata

Police forces set up a special traffic and surveillance structure in the vicinity of Salt Lake Stadium for the match scheduled for a Saturday at 7:30 PM local time. Police Commissioner Rathod Amitkumar reported planning measures to ensure the match proceeded without incident. The apparatus aimed to prevent disturbances like those that occurred in December, when fans broke barriers and invaded the pitch after Argentinian Lionel Messi's swift departure from the arena.

With information from BBC, AFP.com, Goal.com.