NewKerala.com

Key Points

India's U23 men's football team put up a strong fight but ultimately lost 2-1 to Iraq in a closed-door friendly. Mohammed Sanan scored the equalizer for India in the 39th minute after Iraq had taken an early lead. The match remained tightly contested until Iraq secured the winning goal in the 72nd minute. This friendly serves as crucial preparation for India's upcoming AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers against Bahrain, Qatar, and Brunei.

Key Points: India U23 Falls 2-1 to Iraq in AFC Asian Cup Prep Friendly

  • Mohammed Sanan scored India's lone goal in the 39th minute
  • India will face Iraq again in a second friendly on August 28
  • Team is preparing for AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in Doha
  • Squad trained at Padukone Dravid Centre in Bengaluru for a month
2 min read

India U23 edged 2-1 by Iraq in a closed-door friendly

India's U23 team lost a close 2-1 friendly to Iraq in Kuala Lumpur. Mohammed Sanan scored for the Blue Colts, who are preparing for AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers.

"The majority of the match was evenly contested before Mustafa Nawaf Zai scored the winner for Iraq in the 72nd minute. - Match Report"

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 25

The Indian U23 men’s team lost 1-2 against Iraq U23 in a closed-door friendly match at the UM Arena Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday.

Mohammed Sanan scored the only goal for the Blue Colts in the 39th minute after Dhulfiqar Younus had handed Iraq the lead in the 36th. The majority of the match was evenly contested before Mustafa Nawaf Zai scored the winner for Iraq in the 72nd minute.

India will play another closed-door friendly against Iraq on August 28 in Kuala Lumpur.

Coached by Naushad Moosa, India are preparing for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers to be held from September 3-9 in Doha, where the Blue Colts will face Bahrain (September 3), hosts Qatar (September 6), and Brunei Darussalam (September 9).

The Blue Colts had been training at the Padukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru for the better part of a month, and after the two friendlies, will proceed to Doha, Qatar, for the Qualifiers.

The India U23s' second friendly match against Iraq will be on August 28.

While the men's team gears up for the second Iraq friendly, the India senior men’s national team is participating in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, starting from August 29, after Malaysia withdrew from the tournament due to logistical challenges and the unavailability of players.

India have been placed in Group B, which will be played in Dushanbe. India will take on host Tajikistan (August 29), Iran (September 1), and Afghanistan (September 4).

India U23 men's squad for Iraq friendlies in Kuala Lumpur:

Goalkeepers: Sahil, Muhammed Arbaaz

Defenders: Haobam Ricky Meetei, Bikash Yumnam, Muhammed Saheef, Pramveer, Yanglem Sanatomba Singh, Subham Bhattacharya

Midfielders: Lalremtluanga Fanai, Vinith Venkatesh, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Vibin Mohanan, Ayush Dev Chhetri, Macarton Louis Nickson, Manglenthang Kipgen, Soham Naveen Varshneya

Forwards: Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh, Mohammed Aimen, Muhammad Suhail F, Mohammed Sanan K, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Sahil Harijan, Harsh Arun Palande, M.S. Sreekuttan

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Why are these matches closed-door? Would have loved to watch our young talents play. Hope AIFF streams the next friendly so fans can support the team properly.
A
Arjun K
Good to see Mohammed Sanan scoring! Our boys held their own against Iraq for most of the match. The experience against quality opposition will be invaluable for the Asian Cup qualifiers.
M
Michael C
The squad looks promising with players from different regions. Hope they get more exposure matches like this. Indian football needs consistent investment in youth development.
S
Shreya B
While the loss is disappointing, competing evenly with Iraq for majority of the match shows progress. Our youth teams are definitely improving. All the best for the qualifiers in Doha! 🙌
V
Vikram M
Need to work on concentration in the final minutes. Conceding goals in 36th and 72nd minutes shows we need better game management. But overall, decent performance against quality opposition.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50