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Good day folks! The Indian Super Cup is on the way. Though it's not an officially licensed competition, I'm quite sure that you guys are eagerly waiting for it to start
Here's a summary of the competition:
It's the premiere knock-out football competition of India, consisting of 16 teams. The top six clubs from the ISL and the I-League will get a direct entry to the competition whereas the bottom four clubs have to battle it out for getting an entry.
The Super Cup will replace the Federation Cup which was India's primary knock-out football cup. The Super Cup will commence on 31st March 2018 either at Cuttack or Kochi.
Let's go back to the focal point of this article. In this article, I will guide you through the list of 5 clubs who might go on to lift the Indian Super Cup in its inaugural edition.
So, are you ready? Fasten your seat belts and continue reading.
#5: Kerala Blasters
The 'Yellow Army' are out of the ISL title race but they are in the driving seat after David James took charge.
If the move had been a bit earlier, Kerala would have sealed the top spot. After all, it's Football.
Kerala was defeated just four times this season. It's the draws that stole the show for them. They are one of the strongest teams on paper with the likes of Hume, Berbatov and Brown.
Surprisingly, luck didn't favor them. This was evident in the deadlock versus Chennai.
Now, talking about their chances, they have the potential to win a maiden title. If everything goes right, then the cup is for them.They have their 'twelfth man' with them.
Let's proceed to the next side.
#4: Minerva Punjab F.C
We have witnessed a revolutionary change in this great team. They are living their dream. Currently placed 2nd on the I-League table, they have risen from being underdogs to being title favourites. Jeakson Singh, India's first and only world cup scorer is a Minerva Academy product.
They are the sole representatives of the north region in I-League. Despite losing to Gokulam, they are still eyeing the top spot, seeing as they are two points behind NEROCA, albeit with two games in hand.
They are solid at the back and have conceded a paltry 14 goals with five clean-sheets. They have scored 20 goals which display their attacking prowess, with Chencho Gyeltshen, their leading goal-scorer, with an impressive tally of 6 goals.
That's the story which the stats tell us. So, let's see if they could triumph in the premiere knockout competition.
Let's move on to number 3.
#3: NEROCA F.C
NEROCA is a side to watch out in the upcoming Super Cup. The Manipur based club is flying high in the I-League this season, against the expectations of many.
They have the best defense in the league, having conceded just 12 goals, are topping the charts for clean sheets this season with 9 in 17 matches - a brilliant defensive record.
They also have an impressive tally of 19 goals. Their top-scorer, Felix Odili has scored 6 goals. So, is NEROCA up for the challenge?
With an iron-defense and a free-flowing attack supported by a creative midfield, they can win the title in its inaugural edition itself. Let's wait and watch.
Let's go back to ISL. The next club hasn't won any title. Guess who?
#2: FC Pune City
Here's another side who are on a great run of form this season. Pune has won nine out of 16 matches. With 29 points and a possible playoff berth, they are on a safe platform. It's relieving for them as Marcelinho is in fine form, with eight goals in 14 appearances. The Marcelinho-Alfaro duo might prove to be their winning formula.
They have evolved into a free-scoring side netting 28 goals altogether. Besides, their defense is working precisely, with six clean sheets, conceding just 15 goals this season.
Will they emerge victorious? It's a thought to ponder.
The next one is easy to guess.
Shall we proceed?
#1: Bengaluru FC
The first Indian club to get to the AFC Cup final - Bengaluru FC. The South-Indian giants are one of the most successful clubs in Indian football history.Under Chetri's captaincy, 'the Blues' are in a seamless streak.They have already qualified for the ISL playoffs with 34 points.
Miku, the Venezuelan attacking ace is the main reason why BFC is on top. Due to his 12 goal-exploit, BFC became the first team to qualify this season. The Miku-Chhetri duo have a mind-blowing 21 goals between them. They occupy the second and third positions in the Golden Boot race respectively.
Bengaluru FC have scored 31 goals in total and are likely to surpass FC Goa's record for the most number of goals in a single ISL season (34 goals). So, they possess an exciting attacking line-up.
Defensively, they have kept five clean sheets and conceded just 15 goals. Nevertheless, they need quick-thinking to fill Edu Garcia's boots, who was pivotal in their midfield.
Surely, they are the favorites in this Super Cup. But, a turn-around is always possible in football.
Also, read 5 noteworthy Kerala Blasters players across all ISL seasons.
