India to face Malaysia in November friendly ahead of busy int’l schedule

New Delhi, Sep 25: The Indian men’s national football team is set to play an international friendly against Malaysia on November 19, during the upcoming FIFA international window. While the exact venue for the much-anticipated clash is yet to be confirmed, the fixture comes as part of India’s preparation for a series of competitive engagements in the coming months.
India, currently ranked 126th in the FIFA rankings, will face off against a Malaysian side ranked 132nd.
The two teams have a recent history, having met in the semi-finals of the 2023 Merdeka Cup held in Kuala Lumpur in October.
India, under the guidance of head coach Manolo Marquez, suffered a 2-4 defeat in that encounter, with Malaysia progressing to the final. The November friendly provides an opportunity for the Blue Tigers to redeem themselves and fine-tune their strategies ahead of crucial tournaments.
India’s form leading into this friendly has been inconsistent. In their most recent international fixtures, they faced a challenging outing in the Intercontinental Cup, where they were held to a 0-0 draw by Mauritius, followed by a heavy 0-3 loss against Syria. These results have raised questions about the team’s current form, with Marquez acknowledging the need for improvements in both defense and finishing.
The friendly against Malaysia will be part of a series of competitive tests for the Indian side, who are also scheduled to participate in a three-nation tournament in Vietnam starting on October 9.
In that competition, India will face hosts Vietnam, alongside a familiar foe in Lebanon, whom they defeated earlier this year to lift the SAFF Championship. (IANS)