Intercontinental Cup: India held 0-0 by Mauritius

Manolo Marquez’s stint as the Indian football team’s head coach began with a goalless draw against lower-ranked Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup opener here today. India, ranked 124th in the world, enjoyed possession early on even as the tourists started the game on a lively note. The failure to make the third round of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers still fresh in memory, India, placed as many as 55 spots above 174th-ranked Mauritius, failed to find the back of the net and once again left their fans disappointed.

In the 34th minute, striker Manvir Singh was sent through on goal by Anirudh Thapa and he challenged the Mauritius goalkeeper Kevin Obrian with his left-footed strike, but the custodian pulled off an important save.