India to Face Vietnam in Friendly Football Match
The Indian senior men’s football team is gearing up for a friendly match against Vietnam on October 12. This match comes after Lebanon withdrew from a tri-nation tournament. The game will take place at Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dinh and will impact FIFA Rankings.
Schedule Changes
Originally, India was to play Vietnam on October 9 and Lebanon on October 12. With Lebanon’s exit, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) requested a reschedule, which the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) accepted.
Team Preparations
India will gather in Kolkata on October 5 for training before heading to Vietnam on October 7. Head coach Manolo Marquez has announced a list of 26 probables, with the final 23-player squad to be revealed before the trip.
Upcoming Matches
Following the Vietnam match, India will play Malaysia on November 19 during the FIFA Window. India is currently ranked 126th, while Malaysia is 132nd. The teams last met in October 2023, with India losing 2-4.
Recent Performances
India’s recent matches include a 0-3 loss to Syria and a goalless draw with Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup. Coach Marquez was not pleased with the team’s early performance against Syria but noted improvement in the second half.
Squad List
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Vishal Kaith |
| Defenders | Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Anwar Ali, Aakash Sangwan, Subhasish Bose, Asish Rai, Mehtab Singh, Roshan Singh Naorem |
| Midfielders | Suresh Singh Wangjam, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Nandhakumar Sekar, Brandon Fernandes, Anirudh Thapa, Liston Colaco, Lalengmawia, Lallianzuala Chhangte |
| Forwards | Edmund Lalrindika, Farukh Chaudhary, Manvir Singh, Vikram Partap Singh, Rahim Ali |
Doubts Revealed
Friendly Football Match -: A friendly football match is a game played between two teams that is not part of a competition or tournament. It’s mainly for practice and to improve skills.
FIFA Rankings -: FIFA Rankings are a system used to rank national football teams based on their performance in international matches. Higher rankings mean a team is considered better.
Thien Truong Stadium -: Thien Truong Stadium is a sports stadium located in Nam Dinh, Vietnam. It’s where the football match between India and Vietnam will take place.
Tri-nation tournament -: A tri-nation tournament is a sports event where three different teams or countries compete against each other. In this case, it was supposed to include India, Vietnam, and Lebanon.
Coach Manolo Marquez -: Manolo Marquez is the coach of the Indian senior men’s football team. He is responsible for training the players and deciding the team strategy.
Probables -: Probables are players who are likely to be selected for the final team. The coach announces a list of probables before choosing the final squad.
