India to host Malaysia in friendly at GMC Balayogi Stadium on 18 November 2024

India will meet Malaysia in an international friendly at the GMC Balayogi Stadium in Hyderabad on 18th November 2024, the last warm-up before the Asian Cup Qualifiers in March.

Manolo Marquez has named his final squad for the match, selecting a mix of new faces and previously injured players returning to fitness, with the friendly forming his third assignment after the Vietnam game and India’s campaign at the Intercontinental Cup; the team remain without a victory under the Spaniard following the 1-1 draw with Vietnam and a draw and a defeat in the Intercontinental Cup.

Both nations are described in the source as being in phases of rebuilding. Malaysia’s recent results cited include winning the 2024 Merdeka tournament with victories over the Philippines and Lebanon, and a 3-1 win against Chinese Taipei in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The teams last met roughly 13 months earlier in the Merdeka Tournament semi-final at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, where Malaysia defeated India 4-2 in the semifinals of the 2023 Merdeka Cup; the report lists Cools Dion, Aiman Arif and Halim F as goalscorers for Malaysia, while Sunil Chhetri and Mahesh Naorem scored for India before Corbin-Ong L netted the decisive goal for Malaysia.

India will include nine players from that previous encounter in the Hyderabad squad: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, Mehtab Singh, Vishal Kaith, Naorem Roshan Singh, Amrinder Singh, Liston Colaco, Lallianzuala Chhangte and Suresh Singh Wangjam. Malaysia’s selection is said to feature a core of experienced performers, with 14 members of the current squad having taken part in the 2023 Merdeka Tournament, including goal-scorers Arif Aiman and Dion Cools.

The upcoming friendly will be the 33rd meeting between India and Malaysia, which the source states is the most frequent opponent India have faced in international football. The report records India at 125th and Malaysia at 133rd in the FIFA rankings and reiterates the match date and venue as 18th November 2024 at GMC Balayogi Stadium, Hyderabad.

The friendly offers India an opportunity to end their winless run and for Manolo Marquez to register his first victory as head coach; the teams will meet on 18th November 2024 at the GMC Balayogi Stadium in Hyderabad as scheduled.