Indian Super League (ISL) finalists Bengaluru FC and I-League side Gokulam Kerala are set to face each other in the pre-quarter-finals of the 2018 Super Cup at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Saturday evening.
| Game | Bengaluru vs Gokulam Kerala |
| Date | Sunday, April 1 |
| Time | 5:00 PM IST (GMT +5:30) |
TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM
The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the Super Cup. The games will be telecast with the option of English and/or Hindi commentary over their bouquet of television as well as digital platforms.
| India (English) TV channel | Online streams |
|---|---|
| Star Sports 2/2 HD | Hotstar and Jio TV |
TEAM NEWS
BENGALURU FC:
Injured: Harmanjot Khabra
Doubtful: None
Key Players: Sunil Chhetri, Miku
GOKULAM KERALA:
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Key Players: Henry Kisekka, Arjun Jayaraj
GAME PREVIEW
Bengaluru lost out on the Indian Super League (ISL) trophy when they last took the field and will be looking for a fresh start to avoid going trophyless this season.
Gokulam Kerala have had a good season I-League although they missed out on a direct entry to the Super Cup by finishing seventh in the standings. Bino George's side earned the tag 'Giant Killers FC' after beating Mohun Bagan, champions Minerva Punjab and East Bengal in the space of 10 days in second half of the season.
Gokulam defeated NorthEast United 2-0 thanks to Henry Kisekka's brace. The Ugandan striker's future at the club is uncertain and is expected to open contract talks only after the Super Cup.
Kisekka, along with midfielder Mudde Musa, has made a huge impact at the Kerala-based club. The key will be shut these two down if Albert Roca's Blues are looking to prevent an upset.
Arjun Jayaraj has been the breakout star for Gokulam this season. His tenacity and skill in midfield will be put to the test against a difficult opposition in Bengaluru. Salman's trickery on the wings will also come under the scanner.
The Blues will once again depend on the duo of Chhetri and Miku to lead the line. The skipper will want to leave no stones unturned in the Super Cup.
Miku is the club's leading goalscorer this season and he will no doubt want to keep that statistic intact. Against the likes of physically adept Addo and Chigozie, the Venezuelan's clever off-the-ball movement will be the key to unlocking the Kerala-based club's defence.
The Malabarians have lost just two games from their last 10 fixtures. Can the Blues pile misery on another football club from Kerala?