Hyderabad, October 30 (IANS). The Indian men's football team, still looking for its first win under head coach Manolo Marquez, will take on Malaysia in an international friendly on November 18 at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced this on Wednesday.
The match, originally scheduled for 19 November, was pushed back a day and the venue confirmed.
With this tie taking place in the final FIFA international match window of 2024, clubs are required to release players for national duty. The 18 November match will be Marquez's fourth since taking charge of the national team, which includes a draw against Mauritius and losses to Syria and Vietnam.
The Gachibowli Stadium, where India last hosted the Intercontinental Cup in September, provides a familiar setting. However, India struggled in that tournament, losing 0–3 to Syria, before achieving a goalless draw with Mauritius, the eventual champions. The team also missed out on a win in their most recent 1-1 draw against Vietnam in October.
India's current FIFA ranking is 125th, slightly above Malaysia's 133rd, but this match promises to be a competitive challenge. Malaysia had defeated India 4-2 in their previous encounter in the Merdeka Cup semi-finals in October 2023.
–IANS
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