 "India end the year without a win after holding Malaysia to a 1-1 stalemate in Hyderabad")
Manolo Marquez’s wait for an maiden victory as India head coach got an extension on Monday after the Blue Tigers were held to a 1-1 draw by Malaysia in Hyderabad. With the entertaining draw at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Gachibowli, India ended the year without a single victory as the match against the visiting Malaysians was their last of 2024.
As It Happened | India, Malaysia play out entertaining draw in Hyderabad
The ‘Harimau Malaya’ had seized the lead inside 20 minutes as Paulo Josue pounced on a loose ball inside the box after a horrible misjudgement by Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Defender Rahul Bheke, however, would bring the Indians back on level terms with a 39th minute header off a corner.
How many times have we seen him do that? 🙌@RahulBheke ⚡#INDMAS #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/6sytqxFmOe
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) November 18, 2024
Both teams cancelled out several charges from the opposing side throughout the second half as the game meandered towards a draw. Debutant Fergus Tierney, however, nearly fired in the winner for the Malaysians three minutes into stoppage time, his header off a corner ricocheting off the left upright with Sandhu reduced to a mere spectator.
The match witnessed the return of Sandesh Jhingan, who wore the captain’s armband in his first appearance after a 10-month battle with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. India also handed debuts to Irfan Yadwad and Hmingthanmawia Ralte, a.k.a. Valpuia, with the former included in the starting XI.
Monday’s draw was the ninth between India and Malaysia, with both teams having won 12 games each in 33 head-to-head meetings. India also ended the year with five draws and six defeats – including three in a row in the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar in January.
Marquez, who also serves as FC Goa coach in the Indian Super League and coaches the national side during the international break, has now led the Blue Tigers to three draws in four outings since replacing Igor Stimac as coach in July.
India’s only defeat of the Marquez era was against Syria in September, losing 0-3 at the same venue where they held Malaysia to a stalemate in their latest outing.
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