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Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti lauded India’s defensive organisation and counter-attacking approach after his team’s 4-0 victory in Kolkata.
India’s players stand for the national anthem during their international friendly against Brazil (Picture credit: AP)
Brazil men’s team head coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that the Indian team defended, were organised and tried to play counter-attack, adding that the hosts played a good game, even though Brazil thrashed them 4-0 in a one-off friendly in Kolkata on Saturday, October 3.
Ancelotti lauded India’s organisation in defence and on the counter, noting that the Blue Tigers gave Brazil some tough moments despite suffering a 0-4 loss in the historic friendly at Salt Lake Stadium.
India held their own against the star-studded Brazilian team for the opening 25 minutes before the five-time world champions found their rhythm and pulled away.
“They tried to play their game. They defended, they were organised, they tried to play counter-attack. I think they played a good game. We had difficulty opening the score, but the moment we opened the score with Estevao, we had more opportunities to better control the game,” Ancelotti said while speaking at the post-match press conference.
“It was a good experience. We gave a minute to the players that maybe was good for them to have a test. I think it was a good game, entertaining, with good intensity,” Ancelotti added.
The gulf between the two teams was evident in the possession stats, with Brazil dominating 65.8% of the ball compared to India’s 34.2%.
The South Americans registered 20 attempts to India’s nine, with seven of their efforts on target compared to India’s three.
The visitors held a clear advantage in attacking touches inside the box as well, 29-12, while completing 156 successful passes in the final third compared to India’s 29.
Brazil were more accurate with their passing as well, completing 90.3% of 652 passes compared to India’s 83.6% from 330 attempts.
India, meanwhile, made 23 clearances and six tackles, while Brazil registered 14 clearances and 13 tackles.
For Ancelotti, however, the match was about more than the numbers or the final result, offering him a chance to assess some of Brazil’s next generation of players.
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Ask News18Brazil defeated India 4-0 in a one-off historic international friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, October 3.
Ask News18October 04, 2026, 12:22 IST
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