India Takes on Thailand in Friendly Warm-up
So, football fans, get ready! Wednesday saw India's national men's football team going head-to-head with Thailand in a friendly match at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani. It's a pretty big deal, not just for the fans, but for the team's preparation for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers against Hong Kong.
A Look at the Teams
Honestly, going into the game, I had a little bit of nervous excitement. India's ranked 127th in the world by FIFA, while Thailand sits at 99th. That's a pretty significant difference, and their head-to-head record is also heavily in Thailand’s favor, with 12 wins for them, 7 for us, and 7 draws. But, we have to remember that India pulled off sensational 4-1 and 1-0 wins against Thailand in 2019. Those victories gave me some hope, you know?
This match was a chance to see how our team's strategies were working out under coach Manolo Marquez, especially since his focus is now solely on the national team, and not splitting his time with FC Goa. So, a lot was riding on this one.
Live Updates – A Nail-Biter!
The game itself was a real rollercoaster. I was glued to the live updates throughout. It started off a bit shaky for India. Seven minutes in, and Thailand scored with a shot from Davis that our defense seemed to have missed. It was a tough start to the match. It felt a little bit disappointing, you know, that initial goal.
- 7': Thailand 1 - 0 India
- Later in the first half: A few nervy moments in our own box but we managed to keep Thailand from scoring more.
I won’t go through every minute, but let’s just say it remained a close, tense match until the final whistle. The overall result? We ended up losing this particular match, but the experience served as invaluable preparation for the upcoming Asian Cup qualifiers.
Looking Ahead to the Asian Cup Qualifiers
This friendly was all about getting ready for the Hong Kong match. The match against Thailand, while a loss, provided crucial experience and allowed the team and the coaching staff to assess the team's strengths and weaknesses under pressure. Every game counts as we work towards qualifying for the Asian Cup.
You can catch the next game —the all important qualifier against Hong Kong— on June 10th, and we'll keep you updated on the results and all the drama. Stay tuned!
India's Squad (International Friendly vs. Thailand)
- Vishal Kaith (GK)
- Anwar Ali
- Apuia
- Asish Rai
- Abhishek Tekcham
- Sandesh Jhingan (C)
- Ashique Kurunian
- Manvir Singh
- Liston Colaco
- Ayush Chhetri
- Sunil Chhetri
