Hero Tri-National International Football Tournament: Know about India's opponents Myanmar

After a five-month interval, the Indian football men’s national team is all set to return to action when they take part in the Hero Tri-Nation International Football Tournament with Myanmar and the Kyrgyzstan.

21 March, 2023

The first match of the Tri-Nation tournament will see host nation India take on Myanmar at the Khuman Lampak Stadium, in Imphal, on Wednesday.

Igor Stimac's men were involved in a five-day camp in Kolkata before arriving in Imphal on Tuesday. The matches are scheduled as part of preparations for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which is set to commence early next year.

Ahead of the meeting between the two teams, here’s a detailed look at Myanmar:

History

The Myanmar national team was previously known as Burma until 1989. They played their first FIFA-recognized international friendly against Hong Kong on 17 February 1950, which they lost 5-2, and their first international win came in a match against Singapore on 27 February 1950 when they put six past the opponent.

During their glory days, Myanmar won the Asian Games twice in 1966 and 1970. In 1968, they bagged the silver medal at the AFC Asian Cup in Iran.

Since being renamed Myanmar, their biggest achievement has been attaining their highest-ever FIFA ranking of 96 in April 1996. They also secured the silver medal at the 1993 Southeast Asian Games.

They participated in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers for the first time in their history, but the results was disastrous. They lost 7-0 and 4-0 to China in the two-legged tie.

Currently, they are ranked at the 159th spot as per the FIFA ranking, 53 places below India. This will be Myanmar’s first international match under their newly-appointed German coach Michael Feichtenbeiner who would be eager to set off his new journey on a winning note.

Form Guide

Last 5 matches – LDLLL

The ‘Chinthe’ have really struggled to grind results in their recent outings. They took part in the AFF Championship during the FIFA World Cup international break where they could only manage to draw one game and lost the other four games. Before participating in the AFF Championship, they suffered a 6-0 defeat to rivals Thailand in early December.

Head-to-Head record

Myanmar holds a slight advantage over India if we look at past records. This will be the 25th meeting between the two teams. In a total of 24 head-to-head matches, the Blue Tigers have won nine matches, drawn four, and lost 11 times.

Formation

Feichtenbeiner was named Myanmar’s manager ahead of the Tri-Nation Tournament earlier in March. The German manager, who prefers the 4-3-3 formation, previously managed Selangor FC in Malaysia before taking up the reigns of the Myanmar national team.

Key Players

Kyaw Min Oo

Min Oo is the heart of Myanmar's midfield and has been an important figure for Myanmar in recent outings. The central midfielder appeared in each of the four games in the SAFF Championship and netted one goal for the Asian Lions. The 26-year-old has recently signed for PDRM FC in Malaysia’s top-tier league during the winter transfer window.

Maung Maung Lwin

Maung Maung Lwin will be adding a creative spark down the left flank. Myanmar’s No. 11 has netted three of their four goals in the AFF Championship. The attacker has scored nine goals in 55 appearances for his nation. Undoubtedly, he will be one of the key players to watch out for in the Tri-Nation Tournament.