Kerala Blasters take to the pitch for the first time since being punished by AIFF in their first group game against I-League winners RoundGlass Punjab FC.
KBFC vs RGP Match Details
Date: Saturday, 8 April 2023
Time: 20:30 (IST)
Venue: EMS Stadium, Kozhikode
KBFC vs RGP Viewing Details
The match between Kerala Blasters FC vs RoundGlass Punjab FC in Hero Super Cup 2023 will be telecasted on Sony Sports Ten 2 channel and will be live-streamed on FanCode.
KBFC vs RGP Match Preview
The 2022/23 ISL season came to a premature end for Kerala Blasters as they decided to walk off the pitch in the middle of the ISL eliminator game against Bengaluru FC after a controversial goal scored by the Blues captain Sunil Chhetri in the first period of extra time. It was an extraordinary decision taken by the head coach Ivan Vukomanovic in a rare event in Indian football and he and the club had to pay the price. The federation slapped a 4 crore fine on the Tuskers and banned the Serbian from the touchline for 10 games. Hence, Blasters play the Super Cup in Kerala with a lot of off-field matters circling in their mind and also with two of their main players in Jessel Carneiro and Adrian Luna not making the squad for respective reasons. Yet they have home support on their back to pull them off a difficult situation. However, memories of the game will sparkle again when they take on Bengaluru FC in this competition as well in the last game which will potentially decide the winners of the group. The Yellow Shirts would not have wanted such a tough challenge in the group stages but there is no room for excuses as the winners of the 2023 Super Cup will have a chance to qualify for the group stages of the 2023/24 AFC Cup after playing a playoff game against Gokulam Kerala.
RoundGlass Punjab FC will be wishing to do the same in a season they have already hit high levels. They became the first side to get promoted to the Indian Super League by winning the I-League for the second time. Some of the attacking football they played was mesmerizing and will grab the opportunity to use their strategy to test the ISL sides for a reminder of what the side could bring to the table in the new season in the top flight. Punjab FC collected 52 points from 22 games, grabbing 16 wins and losing just twice. They scored a league-high 45 goals and had the second-best defense in conceding just 16. Moreover, they finished 10 points clear of Sreenidi Deccan at the top whom they face again in the Super Cup. Staikos Vergetis’ side could easily term themselves as dark horses in this competition carrying an 11-game unbeaten streak into the opener against Kerala Blasters winning their last seven straight games. RoundGlass will feel they have an opportunity to register their first win in the first game of the Hero Super Cup 2023 with the opposition struggling with form, slapped with a fine and without the manager on the touchline. The atmosphere may not help them as the game is being played in Kerala but with the supreme firepower of Luka Majcen who scored 16 in the past I-League campaign and playmaker Juan Mera.
Recent Form (all competitions)
KBFC: LLLLW
RPFC: WWWWW
KBFC vs RGP Predicted Lineups
KBFC: Prabhsukhan Gill; Harmanjot Khabra, Marko Leskovic, Victor Mongil, Nishu Kumar; Rahul KP, Danish Farooq, Jeakson Singh, Sahal Samad; Ivan Kaliuzhnyi, Dimitrios Diamantakos
RPFC: Kiran Limbu; Suresh Meitei, Aleksandar Ignjatovic, Mohammed Salah; Freddy Lallawmawma, Samuel Lalmuanpuia, Juan Nellar, Ajay Chhetri; Brandon Vanlalremdika, Luka Majcen, Juan Mera
KBFC vs RGP Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: R Kumar (7.5)
DEF: Ignjatovic (8.5), Leskovic (8), Nellar (8)
MID: Kaliuzhnyi (8.5), Lalmuanpuia (7.5), Lallawmawma (7.5), Sahal (7.5)
FW: Majcen (9), Diamantakos (8), Mera (8.5)
Vice-captain: Ivan Kaliuzhnyi
Captain: Luka Majcen
Stay tuned to Fantasy Football for upcoming matches.
