The India Under-23 men’s national team drew 1-1 with the hosts Malaysia Under-23 team in their second friendly match at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Both goals came in the second half. With this, the India U23 side ended their FIFA Window two-match friendly tour of Malaysia. In the first match last week, the Blue Colts lost 1-2 at the same venue. We Are Better Prepared for Home Leg, Says Indian Football Team Defender Anwar Ali Ahead of Afghanistan Match in FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

On Monday night, Malaysia U23 took the lead in the 48th minute off an own goal by Abhishek Suryavanshi. India U23 came back to restore parity in the 62nd minute through M Thoiba Singh. India’s head coach, Naushad Moosa, himself a former India defender, made changes from the starting eleven that played in the first friendly tie.

He said, “It was important to give equal opportunities to all the players. It helped us to know the potential of the players at the international level.”

The coach said, “All the players were fit and had a positive mindset. The four-day camp we had in Delhi was really good and all the players adapted to the style we wanted to play.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 26, 2024 09:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).