Football

The Indian senior men's football team, under the guidance of head coach Manolo Marquez, has announced a 26-member squad for the upcoming FIFA International Friendly against Malaysia. The match will be held on November 18 at the GMC Balayogi Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.The Blue Tigers, as the Indian team is known, will assemble in Hyderabad on November 11 for a training camp. Their last friendly match was against Vietnam in October, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Farukh Choudhary scored the lone goal for India in that match.India has been struggling for form in recent times, failing to win in their last 11 matches. Their last victory came against Kuwait in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on November 16, 2023.Coach Marquez has named three experienced goalkeepers in the squad: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Vishal Kaith. Defenders Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, and Rahul Bheke have been included to strengthen the backline.Midfielders Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, and Jithin MS have also been named in the squad. Lallianzuala Chhangte will lead the attack force against Malaysia.The Blue Tigers will be hoping to end their winless streak and secure a victory in the upcoming match. They will face a Malaysia team that is ranked 148th in the FIFA World Rankings, while India is ranked 106th.

Malaysian Footballer Faisal Halim Suffers Acid Burns in Shopping Mall AttackMalaysian national footballer Faisal Halim has become the victim of a horrific attack, sustaining second-degree burns after being splashed with acid at a shopping mall over the weekend. The incident has sent shockwaves through the Malaysian football community and has raised concerns about the safety of athletes.According to Najwan Halimi, a sports official in Selangor state, Faisal was attacked on Sunday in the Petaling Jaya district outside Kuala Lumpur. The 26-year-old winger for the Selangor Football Club suffered burns on his neck, shoulder, hands, and chest."I strongly condemn this violence and urge the police to bring the perpetrator to justice," Najwan said in a statement.Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan confirmed the arrest of a male suspect on Monday, but did not disclose a motive for the attack. A photo of Faisal with visible burn marks on his body has been circulating online, eliciting widespread sympathy and outrage.The attack on Faisal comes just three days after another national player, Akhyar Rashid, was injured in a robbery outside his home in the eastern state of Terengganu. Akhyar, 25, was struck with an iron rod by two unidentified suspects and suffered injuries to his head and leg that required stitches.Football Association of Malaysia president Hamidin Mohamad Amin expressed his dismay over both attacks. "The people of Malaysia pray that Akhyar and Faisal recover quickly and get back to action," he said.The incidents have highlighted the need for increased security measures for athletes in Malaysia. The authorities have been urged to investigate the motives behind the attacks and take appropriate action to prevent similar incidents in the future.