India up against Hong Kong's 'naturalised' side
Manolo Marquez
PANAJI: Manolo Marquez has been in-charge of the national team for seven games since last year, and his only win came against lowly-ranked Maldives where, by the coach's admission, his team 'didn't play a good game.
'
There have been disappointing results, including last week's 2-0 loss against Thailand. But given some encouraging shows – draws against Vietnam away, Malaysia at home – Manolo believes India can get a favourable result against Hong Kong in the Asian Cup 2027 final round qualifier at newly-constructed Kai Tak Stadium, a 50,000-capacity venue that will host its first football match.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
'We are not very worried about the scores in friendlies,' Manolo told reporters. 'What's important is that our focus should be on point.'
Poll
What is the biggest challenge for India in the upcoming match against Hong Kong?
Inconsistent performance
Pressure to win
Strong opposition
Given their patchy form, India will find it challenging. Having dropped points vs Bangladesh in the first round, they now must win against Hong Kong to have their noses in front as only group toppers qualify for the continental showpiece in Saudi Arabia.
'The environment in the team is good.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Attention changemakers! Put your idea under the spotlight and win big
Infosys
Apply Now
Undo
Obviously, in all teams across the world, the environment is better when you are winning constantly. But the environment, the relationship between the players, regardless of the results, is very good. It's true that we have won just one game against Maldives, but the team is also difficult to beat. We are preparing some things for the future,' said Manolo.
Bombay Sport Exchange Ep. 6: Harish Thawani on cricket's TV market and the watershed moments
Nobody knows about Indian football's future but the present certainly looks bleak. Spread over 18 months and 16 matches, India have won just two. The three trophies that India won at home in 2023 and the away win against Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers now seem like ancient history.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
32 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Ace Indian race walker Priyanka Goswami notches first win of season
Ace Indian race walker Priyanka Goswami notched her first win of the season, taking the top spot in the women's 10km event at the Austrian Race Walking Championships in Innsbruck. Goswami clocked 47 minute and 54 second to win the 10km race walk on Monday. Her pet event is, though, 20km race walk in which she holds the national record holder of 1:28:45. She has a personal best of 45 minute 47 seconds in the 10km event which she had clocked in 2022. 'I finished even after a one minute penalty... it was not easy to finish (to win gold) after the penalty and fever,' the 29-year-old Goswami wrote on her social media handles. Goswami also competes in longer distance events. She had finished second in the Athletics Victoria Walking Championships in Melbourne in May with a time of 2 hour, 26 minute and 54 seconds. In the men's 35km race walk event in Innsbruck, Sandeep Kumar finished second, clocking 2:38:45 while Ram Baboo was third with 2:41:47.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Relief for Belgium but questions for the defence after dramatic win over Wales
There was relief for Belgium after scraping through a dramatic World Cup qualifier against Wales on Monday but plenty for coach Rudi Garcia to ponder after a narrow 4-3 home win. Belgium had been cruising at 3-0 up inside the first half-hour of the Group J match at the King Baudouin Stadium but Wales fought back to 3-3 with 20 minutes left before Kevin De Bruyne grabbed the winner two minutes from time. 'The most important thing is that we won. Psychologically it is tough to give away a three-goal lead, but we showed our mental strength,' said Garcia after Belgium's second game in their qualifying group for the 2026 finals in North America. 'We kept fighting. It is symbolic that Kevin of all people scored the winning goal." De Bruyne had been a key factor throughout, ghosting in at the back post to convert Youri Tielemans' cross for the winner. Tielemans, who was captain for the night, said relief was the primary emotion after the game. "We are happy with the victory, but we know that should not have happened to us," he said of the Welsh comeback. "I have no explanation for how that happened. But the craziest things can happen with the national team. "We felt we could finish the match earlier, but then we dropped off a bit. Then we conceded a goal and their confidence grew. They were simply the better team at that moment. 'We had to defend together as a team, choose the right moment to react and get back into the match but we didn't do that well." Belgium conceded a late equaliser in their group opener against North Macedonia on Friday and the defence will come under more scrutiny after allowing Wales to score three. Belgium travel to Liechtenstein on Sept. 4 for their next qualifier before hosting Kazakhstan three days later.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Fan taken to hospital after falling from stand during Belgium-Wales soccer match
A soccer fan who fell from the upper tier of King Baudouin Stadium during a World Cup qualifier between Belgium and Wales was taken to the hospital for checks on his injuries. The Football Association of Wales said the unnamed man 'was conscious and speaking' after the incident, which reportedly took place during the second half of Monday's game in Brussels. The man 'fell from the upper to lower tier,' the FAW said in a statement after the match, which Belgium won 4-3. The incident came a day after a fan died after falling from an overhead level onto the media section at the Munich stadium during the Nations League final between Spain and Portugal.
