AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers: 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
Forwards: Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh, Mohammed Aimen, Muhammad Suhail F, Mohammed Sanan K, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Sahil Harijan, Harsh Arun Palande, M.S. Sreekuttan