India Aims for First Win of the Year Against Malaysia in International Friendly

India will look for their first win of the year when they take on Malaysia in an international friendly match on Monday at Gachibowli Stadium. Under the guidance of head coach Manolo Marquez, the Indian football team has been struggling this year, with six losses and four draws in their 10 matches. India’s last match, played on October 12th against Vietnam, ended in a 1-1 draw, and they will aim for a positive result in this match to avoid finishing 2024 without a win in 11 games.

The team will benefit from the return of senior central defender Sandesh Jhingan, who is recovering from a knee injury and will play his first match for the national team since the AFC Asian Cup in January. India had a tough time in the Intercontinental Cup in September, where they drew against Mauritius and lost to Syria 0-3. The match against Malaysia could be India’s last before the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled for next March.

Both teams are closely ranked in the latest FIFA rankings, with India at 125th and Malaysia at 133rd. The two teams have met 32 times, with Malaysia winning the most recent encounter 4-2 in the Merdeka Tournament semifinal last year. Malaysia is coming into this match after a 3-1 victory over Laos on November 14th in another friendly.

India’s current squad includes nine players from the previous Merdeka Tournament semifinal, including Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, Mehtab Singh, Vishal Kaith, Naorem Roshan Singh, Amarinder Singh, Liston Colaco, Lalianzuala Chhangte, and Suresh Singh Wangjam. On the other hand, Malaysia’s 26-member squad includes 14 players who were part of last year’s team, with most of them playing for three clubs: Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, Terengganu FC, and Kuala Lumpur City FC. Malaysia, like India, has also seen a change in coaching staff since last year, with their coach, Pau Marti, being familiar with Manolo Marquez from their time in Barcelona.