India Start Manolo Marquez Era With Goalless Draw Against Mauritius In Intercontinental Opener

Hyderabad: Manolo Marquez started his stint as Indian football team head coach with a 0-0 draw against lower-ranked Mauritius within the opening come across of the Intercontinental Cup on Tuesday. Ranked 124th in FIFA Rankings, India enjoyed possession early on while the tourists started the game on a stuffed with life note on the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium. The failure to make the 1/3 round of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers still fresh in memory, which ended in the unceremonious exit of former coach Igor Stimac, India, placed as many as fifty five spots above 174th-ranked Mauritius, didn't in finding the back of the internet and over again left their fans disappointed.

The Indian defence became tested as early as the eighth minute when Jeremy Villeneuve of Mauritius won a group-piece and unleashed the ball into the box, but Jeakson Singh became there to make the clearance. Soon, there became the opposite opening for the visitors but Jay Shah cleared the ball to safety.

With their attacking brand of football, Mauritius looked threatening and were creating more opportunities than the home team. Within the thirty fourth minute, striker Manvir Singh became sent through on goal by Anirudh Thapa and he challenged the Mauritius goalkeeper Kevin Obrian on the side of his left-footed strike, on the alternative hand the custodian became up to the duty and pulled off a important save.

In between, there became also a fine cross by Lallianzuala Chhangte from the appropriate wing, but Thapa may possibly no longer provides you with an accurate header. At the alternative end, Mauritius came on the brink of scoring what would have been a fine goal on the alternative hand the shot missed the target by a whisker.

India showed so much more urgency and enterprise within the second 0.5, taking a look to create chances and put the visitors less than pressure. Right after resumption, there became Chhangte running down the appropriate flank and sending the ball your entire way through the visitors’ box, but an alert Obrian became there to thwart the attempt.

Within the 51st minute, Sahal Abdul Samad, who became brought in place of Thapa, ran down the flank but Mauritius had defenders in numbers to deny India. Both teams continued to create the occasional chances but lacked the finishing touches, with Mauritius often taking a look the better team on display.