After playing nearly 300 minutes of football, India got their first goal of the BRICS U-17 tournament, but Brazil smarted from that to firmly establish their billing as the best team with a 3-1 win on Thursday.
Brazil took only two minutes to go ahead through Brenner Silva before Komal Thatal netted the equaliser for India. Brazil won back their lead in the 30th minute through Marcos Santos. Vinicius Oliviera added the finishing touches nine minutes from time with a well taken goal.
India scored in what was their first shot of the game, sending the sparse crowd that had turned up at the Bambolim Stadium in Goa into raptures. Thatal sprinted towards the bench, which was off its feet and huddled up in delirium. Their joy would last all of 15 minutes, though, as Brazil won back the lead. Quite predictably, the Brazilians hogged possession, but the contest was no way a one-way street.
The Indian colts had their moments and a little more composure with their ball at their feet in the final-third could have given the Brazilian defence bigger worries. One such opportunity was substitute Joysana Singh's chance in the second half, choosing to run with the ball than pull the trigger from a promising position in the Brazilian territory.
Singh almost made amends with a shot from outside the box, which narrowly went over the bar. Against the run of play, India conceded a third goal. Brazilian playmaker Marco Coelho slipped a neat reverse pass to find Oliviera, who took a first-time shot, dinking the ball over Indian keeper Mohammad Nawaz to find the net.
India exited from the tournament without a win, but this encounter will be talked about over the course of the next year for the courage and character the Indians displayed.
Brief scores:
India 1 (Komal Thatal) lose to Brazil 3 (Brenner Silva, Marcos Santos, Vinicius Oliviera).
