The highs and lows for Indian football, in the last year, it peaked with the excitement of playing in a second successive Asian Cup in January and fell to its lowest in June after being eliminated from the race for the next World Cup,
We have even dropped to the worst FIFA ranking in seven years as a result.
The Blue Tigers are itching to register the maiden win in the 2024 Calendar year.
In what has been a subpar performance from Team India throughout the year, can Manolo Marquez’s boys turn the tide this time?
The India-Malaysia football rivalry has a long standing history. Since the first meeting way back in a 1957 friendly in Kuala Lumpur, where India emerged 3-0 winners thanks to PK Banerjee’s brace and a Tulsidas Balaram strike, until last year’s Merdeka Tournament clash in which Malaysia ran out 4-2 winners, the two sides have faced each other whopping 32 times.
The Indian men’s football team will face Malaysia in a one-off international friendly at the GMC Balayogi Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.
The India vs Malaysia football match starts at 7:30 PM IST and will be available to watch on live streaming and live telecast on JioCinema & Sports18 in India.
Monday’s IND vs MAS match will be the 33rd meeting between the two Asian nations on the international football stage.
India have not played any other opponent on more occasions. Pakistan (29 matches) and Bangladesh (28 matches) are the next two on the list.
As far as the head-to-head record is concerned, India and Malaysia have both won 12 matches each while eight have ended in draws.
The now-retired Sunil Chhetri and Naorem Mahesh Singh scored India’s goals in the match while Dion Cools, Arif Aiman, Faisal Halim and La’Vere Corbin-Ong netted for the home team at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on that night.
While a majority of the players involved in the match in October last year are also expected to feature in the upcoming match in Hyderabad, both teams will be under new management.
Manolo Márquez has taken over India’s reins from Igor Stimac after the Blue Tigers failed to qualify for Round 3 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Malaysia also parted ways with their Republic of Korea’s Kim Pan-gon under similar circumstances with Pau Martí being promoted from assistant to head coach.
On the other hand, 14 of Malaysia’s 26 members were in the squad last year. That includes two of the goalscorers – Arif Aiman, a young winger from Johor Darul Ta’zim FC and defender Dion Cools.
Cools is the one of their two players playing their trade outside Malaysia (at Buriram United in the Thai League 1). The other is forward Fergus Tierney, who plays for Chonburi FC in the Thai League 2.
Márquez and Martí, both Spaniards, are fairly familiar with each other from their time in the Barcelona setup and Monday’s match could very well turn out to be a tactical battle between the two Catalans.
India has called up a mix of experienced players and newcomers for this match. Notable inclusions are Thoiba Singh who replaces Anirudh Thapa.
Thoiba Singh has been drafted into the squad as Thapa’s replacement and is one of the five maiden call-ups in the Indian camp.
Vibin Mohanan, Jithin MS, Irfan Yadwad and Hmingthanmawia Ralte are the other four who may be in line for an international debut come Monday.
Unfortunately, midfielder Anirudh Thapa and forward Vikram Pratap Singh will miss the match due to injuries.
Still in search of his first win since taking over, Márquez has named a 26-member squad for the match. Sandesh Jhingan is set to return to the national setup for the first time since sustaining an injury during India’s match against Syria in the AFC Asian Cup back in January.
India, winless in their last 11 international outings, are 125th in the latest FIFA rankings while Malaysia, who are coming into the match on the back of a commanding 3-1 win over Laos, are world No. 133.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
India: Gurpreet (gk), Bheke, Anwar, Mehtab, Jay, Fernandes, Suresh, Apuia, Farukh, Chhangte, Manvir
Malaysia: Hazmi (gk), Davies, Cools, Haikal, Ra’op, Yahya, Josue, Laine, Rasid, Ahmad, Hanapi
