Uruguay dominate India 6-1 in Kolkata friendly
Uruguay thrashed India 6-1 in an international friendly in Kolkata on October 6, 2026, with Darwin Nunez, Maximiliano Araujo, Rodrigo Zalazar, Juan Sanabria, and Rodrigo Aguirre all scoring in a dominant second-half display.
Uruguay secured a commanding 6-1 victory over India in an international friendly at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on October 6, 2026. The visitors scored four second-half goals to underline their attacking prowess ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Uruguay took the lead in the 11th minute from a penalty. The spot-kick was awarded after a rash challenge by India's 19-year-old central defender Pramveer Singh, who started in place of Bijoy Varghese, on Federico Vinas. Darwin Nunez converted the penalty, sending goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu the wrong way.
India level through Thapa before Uruguay regain control
India fought back to equalise in the 22nd minute. Anirudh Thapa scored the host nation's only goal, firing in the rebound after Ryan Williams' shot was spilled by Uruguayan keeper Thiago Cardozo. Head coach Khalid Jamil later remarked that his side should have held on to that momentum. The match was then temporarily halted due to lightning strikes.
After the restart, Uruguay quickly reasserted control. Nahitan Nandez crossed from the right for Maximiliano Araujo to score, restoring the lead. Darwin Nunez then headed the ball into the path of Rodrigo Zalazar, who found the net to increase the advantage before the break.
Araujo and Sanabria extend lead as Uruguay dominate second half
The second half became a demonstration of Uruguay's superior firepower. Maximiliano Araujo scored his second goal of the night in the 59th minute. Eight minutes after coming on as a substitute, Juan Sanabria added a fifth goal in the 71st minute, finishing from a deflected cross by fellow substitute Facundo Pellistri.
Late goals seal victory as Uruguay rotate squad and impress
Head coach Diego Forlan's substitutions proved highly effective. Rodrigo Aguirre, who replaced Nunez in the 63rd minute, completed the scoring in the 86th minute. The comprehensive win showed Uruguay's depth, with multiple substitutes making a positive impact.
Forlan called the match a lesson in possession, passing, and finishing for India. Uruguay's Asian tour, which began with a 3-1 defeat to Japan, has now seen them score ten goals across their last two matches, building key momentum ahead of their World Cup qualifying campaign.
