The opening group stage game of the Hero Super Cup 2023 will see ISL final runners-up Bengaluru FC battle out I-League runners-up Sreenidi Deccan in the EMS Stadium.
BFC vs SDFC Match Details
Date: Saturday, 8 April 2023
Time: 17:00 (IST)
Venue: EMS Stadium, Kozhikode
BFC vs SDFC Viewing Details
The match between Bengaluru FC vs Sreenidi Deccan in Hero Super Cup 2023 will be telecasted on Sony Sports Ten 2 channel and will be live-streamed on FanCode.
BFC vs SDFC Match Preview
Bengaluru FC failed to add a trophy on the back of an incredible season in which they set a 10-game unbeaten run this year in the lead-up to the ISL final. They even broke Shield Winners Mumbai City FC invincible streak in that period. The Blues played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with eventual champions ATK Mohun Bagan after extra time but Pablo Perez’s missed penalty became decisive in the shootout, handing their opponents the trophy in Goa. The chance to win a second ISL title was gone although Simon Grayson’s side have the opportunity to triumph in another competition of which they were inaugural winners. The Hero Super Cup returns after four years delayed due to the pandemic and it promises to be an exciting one. By winning the title, Bengaluru FC could replace the disappointment of their ISL final and finally give them the reward they richly deserve. Sunil Chhetri and co. have plenty of experience in winning knockout cup competitions having won the Durand Cup last year. Reaching three finals is enough to brand them as the best side this season but winning this silverware as they did in 2018 beating East Bengal will add the cherry on top of the cake. They take on Sreenidi Deccan in the Group A opener in probably the toughest group in the competition with I-League winners RoundGlass Punjab to face and a rematch against their Southern rivals Kerala Blasters after the ISL eliminator game now famous for all the wrong reasons.
While BFC qualified directly to the group stages, Sreenidi Deccan had to come through the qualifying round as only RoundGlass Punjab from I-League earned an automatic berth courtesy of being the champions of it. Carlos Pinto’s side defeated Neroca FC in a 4-2 goal fest to advance from the second qualifying round with Faysal Shayesteh, Davide Castaneda and substitute Rilwan Hassan scoring a late brace within minutes to cancel out two equalizers from the Manipur-based club in a dramatic fashion. Now, they buckle up for a certain ‘group of death’ in the main tournament of the Hero Super Cup 2023 facing two big ISL sides from Southern India and their fellow I-League counterparts RoundGlass Punjab. The Deccan Warriors were in an intense battle with the club from North India for the I-League title which could have earned them a promotion to the top flight. At one moment Sreenidi looked to have sealed the deal after beating RoundGlass Punjab in a title-deciding clash but then inconsistency blew them away. In contrast, Punjab maintained their focus after the loss and went on to win the title finishing 10 points clear at the top. Sreenidi Deccan failed to win the last four I-League games so they hope their win over Neroca in the Super Cup will be a pathway for good things to come in the group stages. However, it will be a big ask of them to face a robust Bengaluru FC team in the tournament opener on Saturday.
Recent Form (all competitions)
BFC: DLWWW
SDFC: WLDDL
BFC vs SDFC Predicted Lineups
BFC: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Aleksander Jovanovic, Sandesh Jhingan, Bruno Edgar; Prabir Das, Suresh Wangjam, Javi Hernandez, Rohit Kumar, Naorem Roshan; Roy Krishna, Sunil Chhetri
SDFC: Niraj Lamba; Arijit Bagui, Mohammed Awal, Asheer Akhtar, Dinesh Singh; Dua Ankira, Ramhlunchhunga, Rosenberg Gabriel, Muthu Irulandi, Faysal Shayesteh; Davide Castaneda
BFC vs SDFC Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Gurpreet (8.5)
DEF: Akhtar (8), Jhingan (7.5), Roshan (8.5)
MID: Javi (9), Rohit (7.5), Gabriel (8.5), Shayesteh (9)
FW: Krishna (9), Castaneda (9), Chhetri (8)
Vice-captain: Roy Krishna or Faysal Shayesteh
Captain: Javi Hernandez
Stay tuned to Fantasy Football for upcoming matches.
