India, who are still looking for their first victory of the year and under head coach Manolo Marquez, will play their old rivals Malaysia in an international friendly football match on Monday in Hyderabad. Sandesh Jhingan, a central defender and veteran player, will help India after missing over ten months of action with the national side at the AFC Asian Cup in January. His damage to his anterior cruciate ligament has healed. In the ten games the Indian squad has played this year, they have drawn four and lost six. Under Manolo, who took over as head coach in July after Igor Stimac was fired, they have played three games so far, losing one and drawing two.
At the Gachibowli Stadium, where Monday’s game is being played, India lost 0–3 to Syria and drew with Mauritius in the September Intercontinental Cup. On October 12, the team’s final game at Nam Dinh ended in a 1-1 draw with Vietnam.
The Indian squad would finish the year without a victory in 11 games if Monday’s outcome is not favorable. Additionally, Monday’s game may be India’s final before the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers in March of the following year.
The football rivalry between Malaysia and India has a long history. The two teams have played each other 32 times since their 1957 friendly in Kuala Lumpur, when India triumphed 3-0, and their semifinal matchup in the Merdeka tournament last year, where Malaysia won 4-2.
In international football, that is the most times India has faced any opponent. Pakistan (29 games) and Bangladesh (28 games) are next in line.
In head-to-head outcomes, there is nothing separating the two sides. Twelve games have been won by the Blue Tigers and the Harimau Malaya, while eight have resulted in draws.
The latest FIFA rankings also show little variation, with Malaysia coming in at 133rd and India at 125th.
Malaysia enters the game fresh off a November 14 friendly victory over Laos, which ended in a 3-1 victory.
Fergus Tierney, a forward with Chonburi FC in the Thai League 2, is the other.
Three clubs—Kuala Lumpur City FC, Terengganu FC, and Johor Darul Ta’zim FC—own the majority of the Malaysian team.
Similar to India, coaching staff changes have occurred in Malaysia since last year. Both Manolo and his opponent, Pau Martí, are Spanish and have known one another from their days in Barcelona.
Similar to Manolo, Martí assumed leadership in July following Malaysia’s elimination from the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Round 3.
“They (Malaysia) have been playing good football and it will be a tough game for both sides,” Manolo remarked.
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