For Jamshedpur FC, it hasn’t exactly been a great season. It finished 10th in the Indian Super League but has played some good football this past fortnight at the Super Cup.
Jamshedpur, in fact, qualified for the semifinal with a game in hand, after posting convincing wins over Goa FC and ATK Mohun Bagan. Then, it defeated Gokulam Kerala, the I-League side that was playing at home, to finish with an all-win record in Group C.
It will want to take that form further, as it takes on Bengaluru FC in the first semifinal here on Friday.
The ride to the last four hasn’t been as smooth for the men from Bengaluru. It had to split points with Sreenidi Deccan and Kerala Blasters, but the win against RoundGlass Punjab would help it top Group A.
“We got a welcome break in the last couple of days,” said Bengaluru’s coach Simon Grayson. “It helped us to recharge our batteries a little bit, returning to Bengaluru and getting a few training sessions done as well.”
His counterpart Aidy Boothroyd said he was pleased with the team’s performance in the group stage. “But that is over now, and means nothing,” he said.
“We have been attacking a lot, and scoring goals, so the boys are quite enjoying the tournament.”
Jamshedpur has not beaten Bengaluru for over two years, with the last win coming on February 25, 2021, and will look to change that stat in its hunt for silverware this season.
The semifinal pits the highest-scoring team against one that has conceded the joint-fewest goals in the tournament and promises to be an exciting battle.
(with inputs from Team Sportstar)
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