India vs Myanmar: Tri-Nation Friendly Match Preview, Predicted Line-ups, and Fantasy XI

In the first match of the Tri-Nation friendly tournament, India vs Myanmar. Sunil Chhetri and the team led by Igor Stimac will compete in a six-day international friendly against Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan. The games are part of the preparations for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which will begin the following year. 

Playing their first home game in over eight months, India will aim to thrill the home crowd with some brilliant attacking football. But they can't take a motivated Myanmar side lightly, doing which can see their party ruined in Imphal.

India vs Myanmar: Tri-Nation Friendly Match Preview:

The Indian senior men's team will be in action for the first time this year and since September 2022 when they drew with Singapore and lost 3-0 to Vietnam. 2023 will be an important calendar for the Blue Tigers as every game they play in this period will be treated as preparations for the Asian Cup hosted in Qatar next year.

The friendly against Myanmar to be played in Imphal, Manipur in a tri-national friendly will be the start of it and the one Igor Stimac's side will be determined to perform well. India will play Kyrgyz Republic in the second friendly match. A lot of new faces along with the regulars are called up to build proper chemistry inside the squad and to work the strategy.

Most of the players in the squad made a great show of themselves in the recently concluded ISL, willing to translate that into national colours. Facing Myanmar will be a great way to test them and a win will be optimum in front of large home support. These two last met in 2017 in the 2019 Asian cup qualifying with India winning the first one 1-0 and drawing the other 2-2.

On the other hand, Myanmar are aiming to put an end to their dismal record against India by winning for the first time in over a year. It will be a big ask for them but considering they are not in the Asian Cup they will play more freely than the hosts. Since defeating Timor-Leste in the AFF Championship group stage, Feichtenbeiner's side picked up only one point in the last 10 matches.

For the first time in history, an international football tournament is being held in Manipur, the Hero Tri-Nation International Football Tournament, where India, Myanmar, and the Kyrgyz Republic will play against each other at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Imphal, Manipur. pic.twitter.com/bpdjWcREPS

— MyGov Manipur (@manipurmygov) March 20, 2023

The friendlies will be a great chance for both to move up the FIFA rankings.    

Team News:

India:

India has replaced Glan Martins and Sivasakhti Narayanan with Pritam Kotal and Naorem Mahesh Singh in the main squad after the pair withdraw because of injuries. Players from ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC are expected to be given a start from the bench because of the ISL final played only three days ago.

Myanmar:

Myanmar will field a full-strengthened team for the game.  

India vs Myanmar: Head to Head:

Myanmar defeated India 1:0 in their most recent meeting. The two teams met for the first time on March 6, 2013. The home advantage has proven to be advantageous in the last two head-to-head matches. The home team finished the game with two wins and no losses.

There were no draws in the two most recent head-to-head meetings between the two teams. The Blue Tigers successfully kept one clean sheet, and Myanmar successfully prevented one of its opponents from scoring.

Predicted Line-ups:

India Predicted XI: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Naorem Roshan Singh, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Anirudh Thapa, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Brandon Fernandes, Ritwik Das, Sunil Chhetri

Myanmar Predicted XI: Kyaw Pho; Hein Win, Thiha Aung, Thahe Soe, Nanda Kyaw, Kyaw Min, Lwing Aung, Wai Aung, Lin Soe, Hain Aung, Aung Man

IND vs MYA: Fantasy XI

Gurpreet, Bheke , Sana, Phyo, Mishra, Chhangte, Brandon, Moe Aung, Manvir, Kaung, Soe