The group stages of the Hero Super Cup 2023 will start this weekend on Saturday, 8th April 2023 as qualifying rounds draw their conclusion. Four qualified teams will now join the rest of the 12 sides for the main tournament. The total 16 teams are now divided into four groups with only the club finishing at the top of the standing after three games advancing to the semifinals of the competitions.
Group A consists of ISL finalists Bengaluru FC, their Southern rivals Kerala Blasters, I-League winners RoundGlass Punjab and runners-up Sreenidhi Deccan. By the look of it, one can easily say this is the so-called ‘group of death’ of the tournament. It contains a powerhouse and the inaugural winner of the Super Cup in Bengaluru FC with two I-League sides who dominated that competition this season. Despite being slapped with a fine by AIFF and a 10-match ban on the head coach, Kerala Blasters will try to hold strong in the negative environment surrounding them at the moment.
Bengaluru FC
Preview
Bengaluru FC went agonizingly close to winning their second ISL trophy in Goa last month but were defeated by ATK Mohun Bagan in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. The Blues made a sensational comeback in the season when even qualifying for the ISL playoffs was looking bleak let alone playing a final. However, the 2018 Super Cup winners have a chance to win the silverware again to reward their hard work. Simon Grayson’s team is the favorite to secure the top place in Group A but it can come down to the last day of the group stages considering the quality the group possesses.
Squads
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrit Gope, Lara Sharma, Sharon Padattil
Defenders: Sandesh Jhingan, Parag Shrivas, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Naorem Roshan Singh, Prabir Das, Namgyal Bhutia, Wungngayam Muirang, Robin Yadav, Biswa Darjee
Midfielders: Bruno Ramires, Jayesh Rane, Suresh Wangjam, Javi Hernandez, Rohit Kumar, Pablo Perez, Ashish Jha, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Thoi Singh, Damaitphang Lyngdoh, Shreyas Ketkar
Strikers: Sunil Chhetri, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Roy Krishna, Harmanpreet Singh, Leon Augustine, Udanta Singh
Head Coach: Simon Grayson
Alan Costa has returned to his nation Brazil on the expiration of his two-season loan spell with the club. Three players from the Bengaluru FC B-Team have made it to the senior side with new additions, defender Robin Yadav and midfielder Lalremtluanga Fanai, from the Karnataka squad that won the 76th Santosh Trophy earlier this year. New Signings Ashish Jha and Shreyas Ketkar are also included. The Blues’ number one Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and midfielder Rohit Kumar recently renewed their contract with the club.
Kerala Blasters FC
Preview
Kerala Blasters had to face strict punishments for their walkout decision in the ISL playoff match against Bengaluru FC forcing them to play the Super Cup without Ivan Vukomanovic on the touchline. It could either be a catastrophic blow or could provide them with motivation from the situation to play in this competition. Group A was possibly not the group they wanted as they will face the Blues again in a repeat of that controversial match and jostle against the top two sides from the I-League. Blasters are not expected to go without a fight and are likely to push their rivals for the top spot in the group although this group can bring in a lot of surprises.
Squads
Goalkeepers: Sachin Suresh, Prabhsukhan Gill, Karanjit Singh, Muheet Shabir
Defenders: Muhammed Saheef, Sandeep Singh, Ruivah Hormipam, Tejas Krishna, Nishu Kumar, Marko Leskovic, Victor Mongil, Bijoy Varghese
Midfielders: Danish Farooq, Ayush Adhikari, Jeakson Singh, Vibin Mohanan, Mohammed Azhar, Ivan Kaliuzhnyi
Forwards: Bryce Miranda, Saurav Mandal, Rahul KP, Nihal Sudeesh, Dimitrios Diamantakos, Bidyashagar Singh, Apostolos Giannou, Sahal Abdul Samad, Mohammed Aimen, Sreekutan MS
Head Coach: Ivan Vukomanovic
Uruguayan playmaker Adrian Luna announced that he will not be part of the squad for the Super Cup due to personal reasons. He contributed four goals and six assists in the past ISL season. Club captain Jessel Carneiro also not be involved due to an injury that rules him out of the competition.
RoundGlass Punjab FC
Preview
Beating the ISL sides to first place in the group and sealing their position among the last four is an ambitious but not impossible aim RoundGlass Punjab FC dreams to fulfill after their magnificent campaign in the I-League. Winning the title for the second time helped them become the first side from the I-League to get promoted to the ISL. They will now face the clubs from the top tier in the Super Cup to give them an early show of their strength before facing them again in the new ISL season. The Warriors will also face their fellow I-League side Sreenidi Deccan whom they had a close battle for the eventual prize.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Kiran Kumar Limbu, Ravi Kumar, Jaskarenvir Singh
Defenders: Aleksandar Ignjatovic, Hmingthanmawia, Suresh Meitei, Deepak Devrani, Naocha Singh, Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Shankar Sampingiraj, Mohammed Salah, Tekcham Abhishek Singh,
Midfielders: Brandon Vanlalremdika, Ajay Chhetri, Ashis Pradhan, Freddy Lallawmawma, Samuel Lalmuanpuia, Maheson Singh, Juan Nellar, Manglenthang Kipgen, Aphaoba Singh
Forwards: Luka Majcen, Juan Mera, Daniel Lalhlimpuia, Pranjal Bhumij, Krishnananda Singh,
Head Coach: Staikos Vergetis
Sreenidi Deccan
Preview
Sreenidi Deccan is the last imposing side in the group but certainly will not be happy to end at the bottom of the pile. The three other sides in the group may be the frontrunners to finish at the top but the side from Telangana will leave no stone unturned to upset all the odds. Runners-up in the I-League, Sreenidi once looked destined to join the big boys in the ISL amid a neck-and-neck battle with RoundGlass Punjab FC. Their inconsistent form in the last games ultimately took the prize away from them but they will shake off those in a new competition to fight for. Sreenidi entered the group stages after eliminating Neroca in the second qualifying round.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Aayan Lamba, Jaspreet Singh, Harsh Patil
Defenders: Bijay Chhetri, Dinesh Singh, Arijit Bagui, Mohamed Awal, Asraf Mondal
Midfielders: Faysal Shayesteh, Phalguni Singh, Muthu Irulandi Mayakannan, Stanislas Ankira, Umashankar, Arun Kumar, Sriram Boopathi, Rilwan Hassan
Forwards: David Castaneda, Rosenberg Gabriel, Ramhlunchhunga, Vanlalbiaa Chhangte, Ogana Louis
Head Coach: Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto
Fixtures
The games will be played in the EMS Stadium, Kozhikode.
Saturday, 8 April 2023
Bengaluru FC vs Sreenidhi Deccan - 5:00 PM
Kerala Blasters vs RoundGlass Punjab - 8:30 PM
Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Sreenidhi Deccan vs Kerala Blasters - 5:00 PM
RoundGlass Punjab vs Bengaluru FC - 8:30 PM
Sunday, 16 April 2023
RoundGlass Punjab vs Sreenidhi Deccan - 5:00 PM
Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters - 8:30 PM
Must Read | Hero Super Cup 2023: Groups and Fixtures
