New Delhi [India], May 1 : The Indian senior men's national football team is set to play a FIFA international friendly against Thailand on June 4 at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand, according to the official website of the Indian Super League (ISL).
This friendly will serve as an important preparatory fixture for India ahead of their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round clash against Hong Kong on June 10.
India opened their Group C campaign in March with a goalless draw against Bangladesh. Similarly, Hong Kong and Singapore played out a 0-0 draw, leaving all four teams level on points after the first round of fixtures.
Head coach Manolo Marquez will lead the Blue Tigers into a preparatory camp beginning May 18 in Kolkata, before flying to Thailand on May 29. Following the friendly, the squad will travel directly to Hong Kong to acclimatise and train ahead of the all-important qualifier.
As per the latest FIFA Rankings, the Blue Tigers are currently ranked 127th, compared to Thailand, who are ranked 99th.
The two sides have faced each other 26 times, with Thailand enjoying the upper hand with 12 wins.
India have registered seven victories, while seven encounters ended in draws. However, recent history favours the Blue Tigers, who won both meetings in 2019 -- a memorable 4-1 triumph at the AFC Asian Cup followed by a 1-0 win in Buriram to claim the bronze medal at the King's Cup.
Marquez and his team will be eager to rediscover winning form and build momentum ahead of the crucial away fixture in Hong Kong.
Indian football team head coach Manolo Marquez was visibly disappointed last time when his team were held to a draw by Bangladesh in their third-round opener of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.
India's performance at the start of the match was far from ideal. The opening forty-five minutes proved to be a largely uneventful affair, with neither team managing to assert any significant dominance or create a sustained period of pressure. Consequently, clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities were few and far between for both sides, leading to both teams heading into the break without breaking the deadlock, according to ISL website.
Following the restart, India demonstrated a noticeable increase in energy and intensity, attempting to inject some much-needed urgency into their play and unlock the stubborn Bangladesh defence. However, despite their improved efforts and heightened tempo in the second half, they were guilty of missing chances and were consistently thwarted by Bangladesh's remarkably resilient and well-organized defensive structure.
The visitors proved to be a tough nut to crack, successfully absorbing the pressure and denying India any clear route to goal. In the end, the Blue Tigers had to settle for a frustrating and ultimately disappointing goalless draw on their home turf against Bangladesh, a result that left the Blue Tigers and their supporters feeling underwhelmed.