The Indian football team are eyeing their first victory under head coach Manolo Marquez’s tenure as they face Vietnam in a friendly match at the Thiên Trường Stadium in Nam Định on Saturday.

The Blue Tigers were initially scheduled to compete in a tri-nation friendly against Vietnam and Lebanon. However, after Lebanon's withdrawal, it was decided that India and Vietnam would face each other in a standalone friendly match.

Though a friendly on paper, this game holds significant importance for the Blue Tigers as they aim to get back to winning ways and enhance their FIFA rankings ahead of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in March 2025. A better ranking will influence India’s pot allocation for the December draw for those qualifiers.

Having faced a draw and a loss in the Intercontinental Cup in September against Mauritius and Syria respectively, the Blue Tigers are desperate for their first three points under head coach Marquez although they face a challenging test away from home.

Historically, India and Vietnam have met three times, all in friendly matches. Their most recent encounter was in 2022 during the Hưng Thịnh Friendly Tournament, where Vietnam claimed a 3-0 victory over India.

Vietnam and India find themselves in similar situations as they both navigate a rebuilding phase with new head coaches following their exits from the second round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers. India narrowly missed a historic advancement to the third round, finishing just two points behind Kuwait, while Vietnam also finished third in Group F.

Currently ranked 116th, Vietnam sits 10 places higher than India. They appointed Kim Sang-sik as their head coach in June, but under his guidance, the team has secured only one win against the Philippines, accompanied by three losses.

The year 2024 has not been favourable for either nation. India are yet to secure a victory since November 2023, with their last win coming against Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers. Similarly, Vietnam has struggled, suffering 10 defeats in their last 11 matches.

Given the current form and situation of both teams, Saturday’s clash promises to be intriguing, and Marquez anticipates a challenging game for the Blue Tigers.

"I think Vietnam have good players. We are playing away from home. It will be difficult for us, but equally for them too. We are looking physically better than before now, but we can still be better. Our league started less than a month ago, and if you ask anyone involved in professional football, you know that you're not in your best condition until you play at least 10-12 matches in the season,” Marquez told the-aiff.com.

"But that doesn't matter as we are playing now. Vietnam are in a similar situation since their league has also completed four rounds," said the Spaniard.

Match Details

Fixture: Vietnam vs India

Date: October 12, 2024

Venue: Thiên Trường Stadium in Nam Định

Time: 4:30 PM IST

Live Streaming: Fan Code app and website

Related tags:

2024-2025