India's football team, under the guidance of coach Manolo Marquez, is gearing up for a crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Hong Kong. The match is scheduled to take place at the Kai Tak Stadium in Kowloon on June 10, 2025. Marquez has expressed confidence in his team's readiness, despite a recent defeat to Thailand in a friendly match. He believes the team is well-prepared and focused on securing a positive result.
"Our preparations have been much better this time, if we compare with the previous FIFA windows, where you practically don't have too much time," Marquez stated. "We had about three weeks to prepare, between Kolkata, Bangkok, and here in Hong Kong. And we are ready to perform. Nothing special."
India, currently ranked 127th in the FIFA rankings, started their campaign with a draw against Bangladesh. Hong Kong, ranked 153rd, also had a draw against Singapore, leaving all four teams in Group C level on points. Only the group winners will automatically qualify for the Asian Cup in 2027, adding further importance to this fixture.
Marquez emphasized the good environment within the team. "The environment in the team is quite good as well. Obviously, in all teams across the world, the environment is better when you are winning games constantly. But the environment, the relationship between the players, regardless of the results, is very good," he said. Echoing his coach's sentiment, center-back Konsham Chinglensana Singh said, "We are well prepared for the game after three weeks in the camp. Mentally, and physically, we have prepared well, and are ready for the game."
Hong Kong, coached by Ashley Westwood, a familiar face in Indian football, will be a tough opponent. Westwood previously managed Bengaluru FC and also had stints with ATK and Punjab FC. He even coached the Afghanistan side that defeated India in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers last year. Under Westwood, Hong Kong has shown improvement, losing only once in 12 matches.
Lallianzuala Chhangte acknowledged the challenge Hong Kong poses: "Playing against Hong Kong is a significant challenge because they have a good defensive setup, and we know their coach as well. He has a lot of experience in India. Hong Kong are a good counter-attacking team as well, and we have to be well aware of that."
The match also marks a historic occasion for Hong Kong as it will be the first-ever football match held at the newly built 50,000-seater Kai Tak Stadium. The stadium is part of the Kai Tak Sports Park, the largest sports complex in Hong Kong, and all 50,000 tickets have been sold, setting a new attendance record for football in Hong Kong.
Historically, India holds a slight edge in head-to-head records, with nine wins compared to Hong Kong's eight in their 24 encounters. However, India has won only once on Hong Kong soil, back in 1957. Their last encounter was in 2022, where India secured a 4-0 victory in the Asian Cup qualifiers. Defender Sandesh Jhingan, however, stressed that past results are irrelevant. "It was quite a comfortable scoreline but since then, Hong Kong have changed a lot. They have a new coach and a lot of new players. So, it's not going to be as easy, and you cannot get complacent or take things lightly," he said.
The Indian team had a preparatory camp in Kolkata and played a friendly against Thailand before arriving in Hong Kong. Three players, Subhasish Bose, Hrithik Tiwari, and Mehtab Singh, were released from the squad after the Thailand match. The team is now focused on securing a win against Hong Kong.
