Latest news with #FIFAInternationalFriendly
Hans India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
India lose 0-2 to Thailand ahead of crucial Asian Cup Qualifier
Pathum Thani (Thailand): The Indian men's national football team lost 0-2 against a clinical Thailand side in a FIFA International Friendly at the Thammasat Stadium here on Wednesday. It is a huge blow to the side as they get set to face Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Qualifiers 2027 up next. India showed flashes of grit, only to be undone by moments of precision from their opponents. Goals from Benjamin Davis (8') in the first half and Poramet Arjvilai (59') in the second were enough to seal the win for the War Elephants, while India were left ruing missed opportunities and costly defensive lapses. Placed 99th in the FIFA World Rankings, Thailand started the brighter of the two sides and made their early dominance count. In just the eighth minute, Phitiwat Sookjitthammakul found Korawich Tasa near the edge of the Indian box.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
India's young side fails to clear Thailand hurdle
Back in 2019, when Stephen Constantine was the national football coach, India beat Thailand 4-0 at the AFC Asian Cup. Seven games into his tenure, coach Manolo Marquez chose a young Indian team for a friendly against Thailand on Wednesday, ahead of the country's attempt to return back to that very competition. Despite a crucial Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong on the road looming, and a lengthy domestic camp behind them, India conceded a two-goal loss on the road. Goals from Ben Davis and Poramet Arjivilai early in both halves handed Marquez's team yet another loss in what has been a difficult period — 8 losses, 6 draws and 1 win against Maldives, since November 2023. After a string of poor results to start his international tenure, Marquez chose a relatively young team against Thailand, who are in a similar boat as India and will face Turkmenistan in their 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Marquez didn't just change the composition of the team, but played a formation he normally doesn't choose. Thailand defeat #BlueTigers in FIFA International Friendly Check out the link for match report 🔗 ⚽️ — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 4, 2025 Sunil Chhetri and Ashique Kuruniyan started upfront for India, with Liston Colaco and Manvir Singh on the wings. Defensively too, going with Asish Rai, Anwar Ali and Abhishek Tekcham meant that India wanted pace in their backline, after their previous game against Bangladesh. But Thailand and Ben Davis had other plans. India, never really comfortable playing through the midfield, started to do just so, but were getting caught out early under Thailand's pressure. Davies opened the scoring for the home team in the eighth minute, converting a half volley right on the edge of the Indian box after a sideways pass from Korawich Tasa found him with space. India were caught slightly unawares, with a player down in the box and the Thai's choosing to continue playing. As the first half continued, India's influence in the midfield grew – but it coincided with a drop in Thailand's energy in chasing the ball. But even with that influence, came the poor decision-making in the final third, that has been the hallmark of this team. It would either be a half-hearted cross into the box to Chhetri, a player who is usually surrounded by taller centre-backs, or it would be a long shot from outside the box – attempts that came from Liston Colaco and Ashique. There would be the occasional chance – Colaco's run through the wing and then a slider into Chhetri should have come up with some dividends, but the Indian skipper got caught in the box amid too many bodies and couldn't connect with the ball well enough. Tekcham took a shot from way outside the box with his right foot that whizzed past the post. But as the half dwindled, India continued to be a goal down. That disadvantage doubled itself when Thailand scored in the 59th minute again. A few minutes earlier Chhetri had been denied a penalty and right as it seemed the away team was going to snake a goal in, Arjivirai came up with a moment of brilliance. Sliding in from the left, the Thai striker used his marker to curl a right-footed shot into Vishal Kaith's goal – a shot that curved first, dipped later and then touched the underside of the crossbar before going into goal. Two goals up and a game against Turkmenistan on the horizon, Thailand took their foot off the pedal. It led to India's strongest period in the game, and a few chances followed. But Lallianzuala Changte wasn't able to convert the simplest of one-on-ones against the Thai custodian when he was sent through on goal in the 79th minute and that missed opportunity was summed up. Marquez's team next face Hong Kong on the road, a crucial game where the Indian team needs to pick up a win to get their Asian Cup qualification on track.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Football: India lose 0-2 to Thailand in friendly
Kolkata: The hope is that even if they cannot be as clinical as Thailand, India will do better in the front third against Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualifying game next week. And will not be overrun in midfield like they were till around the 30-minute mark against Thailand at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, around 50km from Bangkok, on Wednesday. Should that happen, this 0-2 defeat in the FIFA International Friendly, India's first since the underwhelming 0-0 draw against Bangladesh, will be the kind of outing that helps shake off rust. For, against a team most of whose players were on club duty till Saturday, rusty India looked. There was hesitation in the back where, due to injury and suspension, Sandesh Jhingan and Anwar Ali were teaming up for the first time since the 2024 Asian Cup. India were tentative in all areas of the pitch to start with and rare is it that a top-100 team will not punish that. Benjamin Davies did in the eighth minute. Easily the most skilful player on the pitch, the 24-year-old forward ran in to fire Thailand ahead. Lalengmawia Ralte was down in the penalty box and Thailand could have stopped play. Maybe India thought they would. As it turned out, India failed to clear their lines and, following a neat exchange between Phitiwat Sookjitthammakul and Korawich Tasa which drew out Ali, Davies fired home. What followed was a spell where India were overrun in the midfield but stayed in the contest through desperate clearances and Thailand not being able to find the target. Once, Davies twisted and turned past Abhishek Singh and Liston Colaco before Ali made the block. Thailand were expertly drawing India out and activating the wide men till Abhishek became the extra player in midfield. From a Colaco free-kick, Sunil Chhetri had tested Saranon Anuin with a header but it wasn't till the 33rd minute that India could stitch together a move that pulled the seams of Thailand's defence. That was when Lalengmawia Ralte found Colaco who laid it for Ashique Kurnuniyan, who snatched at the shot. Ashish Rai managed a teasing cross but India should have made it 1-1 before half-time. They had stopped a Thailand move and got Chhetri to find Colaco through on goal with only Anuin to beat. The goalie got big and legged out Colaco's effort. India began the second half like they had ended the first with Kuruniyan, used a second striker, finding Chhetri, who was visibly upset that his appeal for a penalty was turned down. There were free headers that Jhingan and Ali could not keep on target from corner-kicks (India had eight, Thailand two) and a bender from Lallianzuala Chhangte that, well, didn't bend enough. Suhail Bhatt also broke through once but could not sort out his feet. Both teams had three shots on target but India had attempted 19, Thailand seven. Poramet Arjvilai made it 2-0 with a superb curler from range after Davies had found him. The move stemmed from a poor pass from Manvir Singh when India were on the attack. He was not the only one guilty of that. India then needed interceptions from Rai and Ali and a reflex save from Vishal Kaith to prevent a rout. 'The biggest lesson from this game is that we need to take our chances,' said skipper Jhingan.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
6 days ago
- General
- First Post
India fall 0-2 to Thailand in international friendly despite promising first half
India went down 0-2 to Thailand in a FIFA International Friendly at Thammasat Stadium despite a spirited performance. Goals from Ben Davis and Poramet Arjvilai sealed the win for the home side. read more PATHUM THANI, THAILAND: The Indian men's national football team lost 0-2 against a clinical Thailand side in a FIFA International Friendly at the Thammasat Stadium, on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. In a thrilling match, India showed flashes of brilliance and grit, only to be undone by moments of precision from their opponents. Goals from Benjamin Davis (8') in the first half and Poramet Arjvilai (59') in the second were enough to seal the win for the War Elephants, while India, though spirited and creative at times, were left ruing missed opportunities and costly defensive lapses. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Placed 99th in the FIFA World Rankings, Thailand started the brighter of the two sides and made their early dominance count. In just the eighth minute, Phitiwat Sookjitthammakul found Korawich Tasa near the edge of the Indian box. Tasa smartly laid it off for Ben Davis, who took a deft first touch to steady himself before unleashing a thunderous right-footed shot past India goalkeeper Vishal Kaith. It was Davis' fourth goal in seven appearances for Thailand, and the Indian backline was left exposed, reacting too late to close him down. More from Football However, for the Blue Tigers, who are ranked 127th globally, the early setback did not crush their resolve. India gradually grew into the game, using the width of the pitch to stretch the Thailand defence. Liston Colaco, operating fluently between midfield and the left flank, was a standout performer, linking up well with Sunil Chhetri and forward Ashique Kuruniyan. India's first opportunity to level the score in the first half came in the 24th minute. Colaco delivered a teasing free-kick from the left which Chhetri met with a clever header, timing his run perfectly to get ahead of his marker. However, Thailand goalkeeper Saranon Anuin dived to his left to pull off a sharp save. Thailand continued to pose a threat, with long-range efforts from Korawich and Poramet narrowly missing the target. Yet India remained composed. In the 33rd minute, Colaco once again created danger, wriggling past defenders and cutting the ball back for Kuruniyan, who, despite being well-positioned, scuffed his attempt. The momentum began to shift slightly in India's favour as the half wore on. Abhishek came close with a driven shot from distance that missed by inches in the 40th minute. But the golden opportunity arrived in first-half stoppage time. Chhetri played a sublime through ball from midfield to find Colaco's run, splitting the Thai defence. Colaco brought the ball under control but couldn't finish the one-on-one chance as Saranon made himself bigger and narrowed the angle to eventually thwart the danger with a save. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India resumed the second half with renewed intent, and Colaco tested the Thailand keeper once again with a curling free-kick from just outside the area. However, their failure to capitalise on chances proved costly. In the 59th minute, a misplaced pass in midfield gifted Thailand possession. The ball was quickly fed to Poramet on the left flank. Spotting Vishal Kaith slightly off his line, Poramet curled a magnificent effort into the top-right corner to double Thailand's lead and deflate Indian hopes. Substitute Lallianzuala Chhangte attempted a dazzling solo effort, but could not breach the Thailand defence. The Changsuek, meanwhile, looked to exploit the spaces India left behind and could have added a third if not for a crucial intervention by Anwar Ali, who threw himself in front of a goal-bound shot in the dying moments. Though the scoreboard read 2-0 in the hosts' favour, the Indian team showed moments of promise. The performance, particularly in the first half, will give head coach Manolo Márquez and his team confidence ahead of their crucial AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round fixture against Hong Kong on June 10. However, sharper finishing and fewer lapses in concentration will be key if India are to convert potential into results. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India: Vishal Kaith (GK), Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan (C), Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh (Lallianzuala Chhangte 67'), Sunil Chhetri (Brandon Fernandes 76'), Ayush Chhetri (Nikhil Prabhu 67'), Lalengmawia Ralte (Suresh Singh Wangjam 46'), Ashique Kuruniyan (Suhail Ahmad Bhat 81'), Asish Rai (Boris Singh 81'), Tekcham Abhishek Singh.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
6 days ago
- General
- Business Standard
India vs Thailand international friendly live match time and live streaming
The Indian men's football team face Thailand in a FIFA International Friendly on Wednesday at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani. Currently ranked 127th in the FIFA rankings, India has seen a drop in form, and this fixture presents a vital chance to gain match fitness ahead of their crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round clash against Hong Kong on June 10 in Kowloon City. Thailand, positioned 99th in the world rankings, are also participating in the same qualifiers, with their next challenge being a match against Turkmenistan. This encounter will be the first meeting between the two nations since 2019. India came out on top in both previous fixtures that year, winning 4-1 at the AFC Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi, followed by a 1-0 win in Buriram that secured them third place at the King's Cup. Of the squad that competed for India in the 2019 Asian Cup, only seven players have been included for this friendly: Sunil Chhetri, Amrinder Singh, Vishal Kaith, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose, Ashique Kuruniyan, and Udanta Singh Kumam. For Thailand, just two players from that squad remain: captain Chanathip Songkrasin and striker Supachai Chaided. When will the India vs Thailand FIFA International Friendly take place? The India vs Thailand FIFA International Friendly is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4. What time will the India vs Thailand FIFA International Friendly kick off? The match will begin at 6:00 PM IST. Where is the India vs Thailand FIFA International Friendly being played? The game will be held at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand. Which TV channel will broadcast the India vs Thailand FIFA International Friendly? As of now, there is no official announcement regarding TV broadcast for the match. Where can I watch the live streaming of the India vs Thailand FIFA International Friendly? Live streaming of the match will be available on the FanCode app.
