Latest news with #BlueTigers'
News18
10 hours ago
- General
- News18
'Both Teams Have Changed', Feels Manolo Marquez Ahead Of India's Exhibition Against Thailand
Last Updated: Marquez opined that the circumstances surrounding the upcoming friendly fixture between India and Thailand are completely different to the previous meetings between the sides. The Indian football team are set to face familiar foes Thailand in a friendly on the 4th of June at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani. India play the exhibition fixture against Thailand as a tune-up event ahead of the Blue Tigers' Asian Cup Qualifier against Hong Kong, while Thailand are set to take on Turkmenistan in the qualifiers. Indian head coach Manolo Marquez touched upon the similar situation the sides find themselves in ahead of their respective qualifier fixtures. 'We are preparing for the game against Hong Kong, and Thailand are preparing for Turkmenistan. It's a good friendly game for both teams because we are in a similar situation," Marquez said during the pre-match press conference. The hosts boast a better head-to-head record against India with 12 wins for Thailand, 7 for India and 7 draws, however, the Blue Tigers can seek to draw inspirtation from their recent victories against the Changsuek as India managed to beat Thailand 4-1 at the AFC Asia Cup 2019, and 1-0 in the King's Cup. Marquez, however, opined that the circumstances surrounding the upcoming fixture are completely different to the meeting between the sides over half-a-decade ago. 'Those games were a long time ago. It wasn't last week or last month. I think both teams have changed players since then," the Spaniard said. 'I spoke with the players who played that game. It's practically impossible to compare the games," he added. 'I expect a good game. We are here to win, and obviously, if you ask me if we can repeat the score of 2019, that would be great," the 56-year-old added. Thai head coach Ishii also alluded to the changes that the sides have undergone since their last meeting and sought to pick up a win over India to generate momentum going into the Asia Cup qualifier. 'We lost the last two games against India, but there have been a lot of changes. I wasn't the coach at that time, and a lot of players were different. So, it doesn't matter. We want to win against India and use this game as preparation for Turkmenistan," First Published: June 03, 2025, 16:56 IST
India Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Jammu and Kashmir's Suhail Bhat earns India call-up for football friendly vs Thailand
Suhail Ahmad Bhat, a promising young forward from Jammu and Kashmir, has earned his maiden senior national team call-up as India prepares to face Thailand in an international friendly on June 4. The match will be played in Thailand as part of the Blue Tigers' build-up to the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final 20-year-old striker from Srinagar's Bemina area has been rewarded for his impressive season with Mohun Bagan Super Giant, where he played a crucial role in their triumphant Indian Super League (ISL) coach Manolo Marquez announced a 28-member squad on Wednesday, all of whom will travel to Thailand. The squad also features the return of dependable East Bengal defender Anwar Ali, who had been sidelined since February with a hamstring injury.#BlueTigers' 28-member squad for the FIFA Friendly against ThailandJune 4Thammasat Stadium, Pathum ThaniMore details Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 28, 2025 Veteran striker Sunil Chhetri, who came out of retirement in March to help stabilise the team, also retains his place in the squad. The team has been camping in Kolkata for the past 10 days, undergoing a combination of morning gym sessions and evening on-pitch the camp, India played two practice matches to fine-tune preparations. On May 26, they defeated Santosh Trophy champions Bengal 2-1, with goals from Brandon Fernandes and Ashique Kuruniyan. The following day, they secured a 3-0 victory over North 24 Parganas, with Chhetri, Chinglensana Singh, and Udanta Singh on the are placed in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, alongside Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The group stage will follow a home-and-away round-robin format. Their next competitive match is scheduled for June 10, when they face Hong Kong in Kowloon selection continues a proud legacy of Kashmiri representation in Indian football. Midfielder Danish Farooq was the last player from the region to don the national jersey, featuring in friendlies against Bahrain and Belarus in 2022. Before him, Mehrajuddin Wadoo stood out with 31 caps between 2005 and 2011, famously scoring the winner in the 2005 SAFF Cup final against who hails from Srinagar's Rainawari area, was also part of India's victorious campaigns in the 2007 and 2009 Nehru Cups and the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. Other notable names include Mushir Ahmed, who debuted in 1985 against Thailand, and Abdul Majid, who captained India in three of his 33 appearances in the Blue Tigers are hoping to bounce back from a disappointing AFC Asian Cup 2023, where they failed to earn a single point or score a goal in group-stage matches against Australia, Uzbekistan, and squad for Thailand friendlyGoalkeepers: Hrithik Tiwari, Vishal Kaith, Gurmeet Singh, Amrinder Naorem Roshan Singh, Rahul Bheke, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Anwar Ali, Boris Singh Thangjam, Sandesh Jhingan, Asish Rai, Subhasish Bose, Mehtab Singh, Abhishek Singh Suresh Singh Wangjam, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Ayush Dev Chhetri, Udanta Singh Kumam, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Ashique Kuruniyan, Brandon Fernandes, Nikhil Sunil Chhetri, Edmund Lalrindika, Manvir Singh, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Lallianzuala Reel
