India vs Mauritius Live Score, Intercontinental Cup 2024: IND 0-0 MRI; India Seeking Early Breakthrough

 India vs Mauritius Live Score, Intercontinental Cup 2024: India Kicks Off New Era Under Coach Marquez

India vs Mauritius Live Score, Intercontinental Cup 2024: Follow Live Updates
India vs Mauritius Live Score, Intercontinental Cup 2024: A new chapter begins for Indian football as the Blue Tigers embark on their first tournament under new head coach Manolo Marquez. India faces Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup opener on Tuesday at Gachibowli Stadium, marking the start of a new era following the recent retirement of their iconic player, Sunil Chhetri.

Coach Marquez sees this tournament as a dress rehearsal for the bigger challenges ahead, particularly the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers. For now, India's focus is on making a strong start against Mauritius and using the home crowd advantage.

This is the first time in 16 years that the Indian senior men's team has traveled to Hyderabad, where they will take on Mauritius and Syria from September 3 to 9.

Mauritius, ranked 179th in the world, recently placed fifth in their six-team FIFA World Cup Qualifiers group in Africa. They have secured four points in as many matches, including a 2-1 home victory over higher-ranked Eswatini in June and a 0-0 draw against 90th-ranked Angola last November. However, their campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers ended in a 1-3 aggregate defeat to Chad in March.

Marquez believes he will have a better understanding of his squad's quality as the season progresses. "The main target of playing these games in September, October, and November is to prepare for the more important task – the Asian Cup qualifiers, which start in March," Marquez said. He acknowledged that the current FIFA window is tricky as it comes during the pre-season, making it difficult to assess the physical condition of all players. However, he remains optimistic and said, "We are ready for tomorrow."

Last month, Marquez announced his 26-member squad, featuring new faces and returning players, as India prepares for life after Sunil Chhetri. Among the returning players are Chinglensana Singh Konsham and Yasir Mohammad, back for the first time since last year's Tri-Nation Series victory. Defenders Asish Rai and Roshan Singh Naorem are also returning after nearly a year, while Kiyan Nassiri Giri, Lalthathanga Khawlhring, and Prabhsukhan Singh Gill are poised for potential senior debuts.