Hero Super Cup 2023: Bengaluru FC, Jamshedpur FC battle for finals

The stakes are high heading into the knockout stages of the Hero Super Cup.

The 2023 edition of the Hero Super Cup is heading into the next stage after the conclusion of the group stage fixtures. One of the two semi-finals will see Bengaluru FC take on Jamshedpur FC for a place in the showdown. The winners of Durand Cup 2022 and former Hero Super Cup champions will hope to beat 2021-22 ISL Shield winners. However, the task at hand will not be easy as the Red Miners have the tools to cause an upset.

The Men of Steel have momentum on their side while the Blues will aim to finish the season with a second trophy after missing out on the ISL title. There is a lot of excitement ahead of the clash as winners of Group A and Group C lock their horns on 21 April 2023.

Here is what to expect from the semi-final clash between Bengaluru FC vs Jamshedpur FC in the 2023 Super Cup. 

The Stakes

A place in the final of the 2023 Super Cup is up for grabs. Bengaluru FC have previously won the tournament and will aim to take a step closer to add a second to their cabinet. Jamshedpur FC is yet to win a cup competition and the upcoming semi-final presents to them a perfect opportunity to get one step closer to realizing this dream. The Men of Steel are the only team with a perfect record, three wins out of three, in the group stages. They will hope to continue this run and beat the Blues and make it into the final.

Team News

Both sides have a fit contingent going into the semi-final.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches - 12

Bengaluru FC - 5

Jamshedpur FC - 4 

Drawn - 3

Predicted Line-ups

Bengaluru FC (4-4-2)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Prabir Das, Bruno Ramires, Sandesh Jhingan, Namgyal Bhutia; Udanta Singh, Rohit Kumar, Javi Hernandez, Naorem Roshan Singh; Sunil Chhetri, Roy Krishna. 

Jamshedpur FC (4-3-3)

TP Rehenesh (GK); Laldinliana Renthlei, Pratik Chaudhari, Eli Sabia, Ricky Lallawmawma; Pronay Halder, Rafael Crivellaro, Jay-Emanuel Thomas; Boris Singh, Daniel Chima Chukwu, Ritwik Das.

Player to Watch

Sandesh Jhingan (Bengaluru FC)

Sandesh Jhingan had a strong Indian Super League campaign. The defender was the driving force in the BFC defence, making plenty of clearances throughout the tournament. His performance will be key in deciding the outcome of this crucial encounter for the Blues.

He is also a threat with his physical presence in the attacking third. The centre-back loves to get on the end of free kicks and corner kicks to score with his head or create scoring chances for his teammates.

Rafael Crivellaro (Jamshedpur FC)

A fit Rafael Crivellaro is a menace to any opposition. Jamshedpur FC will heavily rely on the creative midfielder to conjure up scoring chances for players like Harry Sawyer and Daniel Chukwu upfront.

His deliveries from free kicks and corner kicks will be a huge pain for Bengaluru FC defenders. Aidy Boothroyd will hope that the playmaker has a good game and provides his strikers with decent crosses and through balls.

Did You Know?

• Bengaluru FC beat Jamshedpur FC in both clashes during the 2022-23 ISL season.
• Both BFC and JFC have English head coaches. 
• Both the Blues and the Men of Steel are undefeated in the 2023 Super Cup ahead of the semis.

Telecast

The kick-off is at 7 PM IST at the EMS Stadium, Kozhikode in Kerala. The live telecast of the game will be available on Sony Sports 2. The match will also be streamed live on the FanCode app.