FOOTBALL | India faces Malaysia check forward of the Asian Cup qualification problem

India coach Manolo Marquez addresses the media on the pre-match press meet forward of worldwide soccer pleasant towards Malaysia in Hyderabad on Sunday, November 17, 2024.
| Photograph Credit score: AIFF

The senior males’s Nationwide soccer workforce shall be put by means of a top quality verify when it takes on Southeast Asian opponent Malaysia in a world pleasant on the GMC Balayoji Gachibowli Stadium right here on Monday.

The venue, which serves as the house to the previous Indian Tremendous League champion Hyderabad FC, is near the guts of the brand new head coach Manolo Marquez, who shall be searching for his first win with the nationwide facet.

Ever since he assumed cost in September, India has performed two attracts (towards Mauritius 0-0 and Vietnam 1-1) whereas shedding the opposite towards Syria (3-0).

Having seen its qualifying probabilities for the 2026 World Cup go up in smoke in June, it’s now crucial for India to safe a berth within the closing stage of the Asian Cup. The third spherical of qualifiers for the highest continental competitors is scheduled to begin within the closing week of March, the place Marquez desires the workforce to give you a very good present.

India coach Manolo Marquez and Malaysia coach Pau Marta Vicente the pre-match press meet forward of worldwide soccer pleasant in Hyderabad on Sunday, November 17, 2024.
| Photograph Credit score:
AIFF

The pleasant towards Malaysia is going on towards this backdrop because the Spanish coach tries to establish the perfect squad for the large problem. Forward of his fourth match with the Nationwide workforce, Manolo delved into the numerous facets that contribute to the workforce’s enchancment.

“We have to enhance in every thing. Soccer is about assault, defence, transitions and set-pieces. We wish to verify these components towards Malaysia and attempt to keep away from the errors which have stored us from profitable the previous few video games,” Manolo mentioned.

By way of FIFA rankings each opponents are positioned fairly shut — India is a hundred and twenty fifth and Malaysia 133rd — however what’s going to hassle India is the earlier assembly between the 2 in October 2023 the place it misplaced 4-2 in Kuala Lumpur (Merdeka Cup).

Malaysian head coach Pau Marta Vicente touched on that and mentioned, “final yr we had an excellent sport in Malaysia, a 4-2 win. I believe it was a really balanced sport, even for the rating, and I believe for positive India now could be seeking to bounce again.”