Hero Super Cup 2023: Top three underdogs who can lift the trophy

These outfits have the quality to upset bigger teams and win the silverware.

The latest edition of the Super Cup is set to begin on 3 April 2023 onwards. Qualifying fixtures will take place before the main stage of the tournament begins. Teams from the Indian Super League and the I-League will battle it out for the trophy. This edition of the tournament is special since the competition is making a return after a gap of four years.

Super Cup holds a lot of excitement for Indian football fans. They get to see clubs from the top two leagues of the country clash. It makes for mouth-watering fixtures and leads to sensational encounters. The 2023 edition has plenty of top teams that are in form right now.

ISL 2022-23 champions ATK Mohun Bagan will be one of the favourites to win the tournament while finalists Bengaluru FC will hope to secure a second Super Cup title. However, cup competitions tend to produce upsets. There are a few underdogs who can be the dark horses and may lift the trophy in the end. On that note, here are the top three underdogs that can win the Super Cup 2023:

3. Sreenidi Deccan FC

Sreenidi Deccan FC’s rise in Indian football deserves a lot of acclaim. The club has quickly become one of the heavyweights of the I-League since its inception in 2021. In their second season competing in the I-League, the club finished second to RoundGlass Punjab FC, failing to secure promotion to the Indian Super League.

The upcoming Super Cup will be a good opportunity for Sreenidi Deccan FC to win their first-ever trophy since launching as a professional football club two years ago. Someone like David Castaneda will be one of the players to watch out for.

2. FC Goa

FC Goa is one of the two clubs to win the Super Cup previously. The Gaurs are the defending champions heading into the 2023 edition after winning the 2019 edition of the tournament. What makes them underdogs is the recent ISL finish despite the quality of the team.

FC Goa narrowly missed the playoff qualification due to inconsistent performances. However, players like Noah Sadaoui, Anwar Ali, Brandon Fernandes and more can be the difference-makers in a tournament like the Super Cup. It will be interesting to see how the team bounces back from their recent ISL disappointment.

1. RoundGlass Punjab FC

RoundGlass Punjab FC will be plying their trade in the Indian Super League from next season onwards after becoming the first-ever team to secure promotion based on merit. They won the I-League 2022-23 convincingly following a brilliant season, leading the second-placed team by 10 points.

It would be a massive achievement to win the domestic double by bagging the Super Cup. The club could also become the first-ever I-League club to win the competition as the past two editions saw ISL clubs win it. Despite winning the I-League, RGPFC will be an underdog heading into the Super Cup due to the on-paper strength of the ISL clubs.