The India U23 men’s national team will play their second friendly encounter behind closed doors on Thursday at 13:30 IST at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after losing their first friendly by a slim margin of 1-2.
According to an AIFF news release, this game is the last practice before the team travels to Doha for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers the following week.
Head coach Naushad Moosa described the first friendly as a crucial learning experience. “It was a very competitive game and a valuable experience for us,” he stated. “Games like these help the boys understand the demands of international football and give us confidence that we can compete.”
Moosa emphasized the team’s attitude and morale, building on the positives. The guys are hungry to learn and are adjusting fast. According to an AIFF news release, he expressed delight with the players’ effort, attitude, and battling spirit, saying, “This mentality is very important for us going forward.”
The coach emphasized that tactical changes in upcoming games will be directly influenced by the lessons learned from the first game.
“We’ll try to add additional players, experiment with different combinations, and make adjustments. Our goal is to improve our tactical coherence and make better decisions at critical junctures,” the coach stated.
The head coach emphasized how important these friendlies are as the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers get nearby.
“A vital part of our preparation is these games. The emphasis is still on strengthening our team’s understanding as a whole, enhancing our capacity for handling pressure, and making sure we maintain this momentum into Doha,” he stated.
Therefore, the match on Thursday will be a final practice before India U23 starts their continental campaign, in addition to being a test against Iraq.
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