India Ends 2024 Winless After 1-1 Draw Against Malaysia
India’s senior men’s national football team concluded 2024 without a single victory, drawing 1-1 against Malaysia at Hyderabad’s Gachibowli Stadium. The match extended Manolo Marquez’s search for his first win as head coach. A first-half error by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu gifted Paulo Josue a goal for Malaysia, while Rahul Bheke’s header ensured India salvaged a draw before halftime.
How It Played Out
Malaysia began aggressively, winning the ball early and testing Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with a long-range strike in the opening seconds. However, it was India that dominated possession and dictated play in the initial exchanges. Manolo Marquez had predicted Pau Marti’s preference for “Barcelona-style” football, and India’s high press, led by Farukh Chaudhary and Irfan Yadwad, disrupted Malaysia’s attempts to build from the back.
Forced to go long, Malaysia capitalized on one such clearance in the 19th minute. Azam Azmi Murad launched a hopeful ball upfield that caught Sandhu off guard. Venturing outside his box, the Indian goalkeeper misjudged his header, allowing Paulo Josue to pounce. The Malaysian forward beat Sandhu and Jhingan to the ball, calmly tapping into an empty net to give the visitors the lead.
India’s response was swift and determined. Exploiting gaps left by Malaysia’s attacking fullback Daniel Ting, Lallianzuala Chhangte repeatedly attacked down the right flank. His crosses, aimed from deep rather than cutting inside, earned India several corners.
The equalizer came in the 39th minute. Brandon Fernandes delivered a pinpoint corner, with Sandesh Jhingan cleverly shielding his marker to create space at the near post. Rahul Bheke capitalized on the movement, shrugging off Nooa Laine and heading home from close range to level the scores.
India pushed hard as the first half closed, but Malaysia held firm, leaving the teams tied at the break.
A Frustrating Second Half
The second half lacked the urgency of the first. India showed glimpses of attacking intent, with Irfan Yadwad causing trouble for the Malaysian defense. His long-range effort was the closest India came to scoring after the break.
Malaysia created better chances late in the game. Substitute Safawi Rasid attempted an acrobatic overhead kick following a Gurpreet punch but missed. The Indian goalkeeper, shaky throughout the night, redeemed himself in injury time.
In the dying moments, Fergus Tierney’s header from a cross rattled the upright. The rebound fell to Rasid, whose powerful strike seemed destined for goal. However, Gurpreet pulled off a remarkable save to deny Malaysia and secure the draw for India.
What’s Next?
India’s next assignment will be the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, set to begin in March 2025. The team, placed in Pot 1, will learn their group opponents when the draw takes place on December 9, 2024.
Post-Match Reactions
Pau Marti, Caretaker Coach of Malaysia:
“I’m really satisfied with the performance. The players adjusted well to the game. The plan we had worked well—we had more chances than them and could have won the game in the second half.”
Dion Cools, Captain of Malaysia:
“In general, with the ball, it was quite hard to find a solution and create open-play chances. India did well to stop us, and it was a challenging game for us. India has a lot of quality in the team, and you could see both teams were well-prepared. Maybe with the last-minute chance we could have got more, but 1-1 is a fair result.”
Manolo Marquez, Head Coach of India:
“Typical friendly game—without pace and very slow. I am a little disappointed. The players were okay—Irfan played a good game, and Jithin’s 15 minutes were okay—it’s difficult in your first game.”
“It was good work [overall]. Every goal kick took a minute—the pace was very slow. We didn’t adapt to this game—we equalized in a set-piece. It’s true they equalized in an action without danger—their last action was dangerous [referring to Tierney’s header off the post], but more or less the result was fair.”
“We have four months till the next break. The list [squad] will be more clear in the next window—more or less the league will be over.”
Match Summary
- Venue: Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad
- Result: India 1–1 Malaysia
- Goals:
- Malaysia: Paulo Josue (19’)
- India: Rahul Bheke (39’)
Key Stats:
- Possession: India 55% – Malaysia 45%
- Shots on Target: India 3 – Malaysia 4
- Corners: India 6 – Malaysia 3
