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Samuel Lino and Pedro were among the scorers as Brazil defeated India 4-0 in the first-ever friendly between the two sides at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti named a star-studded line-up featuring the likes of Vinicius Jr., Marquinhos and Estevao, much to the delight of the football fans who gathered at the venue. India managed to hold their own for the first 27 minutes, with Manvir Singh and Ryan Williams asking Brazil some really tough questions with their counter-attacking ways, as per ESPN. However, Brazil broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. Cutting inside from the right, Estevao unleashed a low strike from the edge of the box that squeezed past Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu at the near post. Gurpreet was again unable to keep out Brazil's second goal shortly before half-time. Estevao played a clever ball from the right to Pedro, who struck from an angle towards the Indian goalkeeper. The shot went through Gurpreet's hands to make it 2-0 in the 42nd minute. India showed more attacking intent after the break and came close to reducing the deficit. Ryan Williams saw his effort cleared off the line, while Manvir also attempted to create an opening for the hosts. Brazil, however, extended their lead in the 58th minute after India lost possession in their defensive third. Bijoy Varghese's pass towards the defenders was intercepted, allowing Samuel Lino to pounce on the opportunity and curl a fine effort into the bottom corner. Lino completed his brace in injury time, producing another low finish past the goalkeeper to seal a 4-0 victory for Brazil. The result came during the ongoing international break, with Brazil having recently recorded mixed results against Australia in friendlies, securing a 4-2 win in one match and drawing the other 1-1. India had also begun the break with a 1-1 draw against Panama last Friday. Ryan Williams gave India the lead in that match, while Khalid Jamil's side defended compactly, pressed with intent and posed a threat on the counter. The draw against 44th-ranked Panama marked the first time India avoided defeat against a top-50 side. For Brazil, the international break has provided an opportunity to rebuild following their round-of-16 exit from the FIFA World Cup this year at the hands of Norway. Despite their status as one of football's most successful nations, Brazil have not won the FIFA World Cup since their triumph in 2002.(ANI)
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