The Indian national team is poised for a fresh start under Spanish head coach Manolo Márquez as they face Mauritius in the opening match of the Intercontinental Cup at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium on Tuesday. This is the fourth edition of the Intercontinental Cup, where India, a two-time champion and the current titleholder, will aim to defend their title.

In a shift from tradition, this year’s Intercontinental Cup features a tri-nation format rather than the usual four-nation setup. Joining India and Mauritius are Syria (93), who are the highest-ranked team in the tournament and will make their return to the Intercontinental Cup after having previously participated in 2019.

The Blue Tigers are up for a challenge as they seek to rebuild under their new head coach. After a disappointing exit in the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June, which also dashed their hopes of directly qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, India will be eager to turn things around.

Their recent struggles in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and FIFA World Cup qualifiers have seen them drop to 124th in the latest FIFA rankings. They are determined to rebound, using the Intercontinental Cup as a stepping stone as they prepare for the third round of AFC Asian Cup qualification, set to begin in March next year.

Márquez, who is keen to start on a high note, returns to his former home ground where he first made his mark in Indian football nearly five years ago with ISL side Hyderabad FC.

"I am very excited. It's special to play the first game here in Hyderabad. It feels like a new stadium now with the new facilities here," said Márquez at the pre-match press conference.

Time will be tight for the Spanish coach, but he will strive to make the most of these FIFA windows to better understand the players and identify his preferred team before facing the bigger challenge of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Having been in the country for four seasons, he has already worked closely with most of the players, who are currently in the national squad. The Spanish tactician has consistently desired to work with Indian players and develop new talents. Now that he has this opportunity, he will be eager to make the most of it and help the players adopt a more refined style of football.

"The main target of playing these games in September, October and November is to prepare for the more important thing - the Asian Cup qualifiers, the first game of which is in March.”

"The first FIFA window now is a little tricky because we are still in pre-season. Some clubs played with their reserve team in the Durand Cup. We don't exactly know the physical situation of all the players. That won't happen in the next FIFA windows because the ISL will be ongoing. But again, I think this is not an excuse. We are ready for the game against Mauritius,” Márquez commented.

Despite being significantly lower-ranked at 179th, Mauritius will be eager to cause an upset in the tournament. Facing the hosts in the opener, they will come with extra motivation and aim to deliver their best performance.

Currently, Mauritius are placed fifth in their six-team FIFA World Cup Qualifiers group in Africa, having earned four points from four matches.

"We are really happy to be here. We're still in the preparation phase for official matches. And the important thing for us is to find stability and to start being more efficient. The aim of these games is to look for a team that is very steady,” said Mauritius head coach Guillaume Moullec, who took charge of the team only in May.

Match Details

Fixture: India vs Mauritius

Date: September 3, 2024

Venue: GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Hyderabad

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Live Telecast: Sports 18 3

Live Streaming: JioCinema

Related tags:

2024-2025