The inaugural Super Cup is coming to an end with two of the best teams in the competition ready to play in the all-important final tomorrow. East Bengal and Bengaluru FC are all set to renew their rivalry at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneshwar.
Both these sides have been the most consistent so far in the tournament and deserve their place in the grand finale. East Bengal beat the likes of Mumbai City FC, Aizawl FC and FC Goa to enter the final whereas the Blues got the better of Gokulam Kerala, NEROCA FC and Mohun Bagan to reach this stage.
This tie is dubbed by many as a direct fight between the I-League and the ISL with one side from each league making their way into the top two. Many conclusions on the state of two leagues will be drawn at the end of the final whistle tomorrow.
After a disappointing outing in the I-League where they finished fourth, East Bengal have a chance of winning silverware after six long years. Manager Khalid Jamil will be itching to get his hands on the Super Cup in his first year in charge of the Red and Gold.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru FC will be desperate to put their ISL final disappointment against Chennaiyin FC behind them and continue their run of winning at least one trophy per season going with the Super Cup. Albert Roca will also be looking to open his account against East Bengal after failing to win against the Kolkata side on two previous occasions.
Team news
Both sides have some worries going into the all-important showdown. East Bengal are worried about the availability of striker Dudu Omegbemi who suffered a knock against FC Goa. Ansumana Kromah is expected to start as the forward for East Bengal if Dudu is deemed unfit for the final.
The Blues will be without the services of Nishu Kumar and Rahul Bheke. The latter has been carrying an injury whereas Kumar received a red card against Mohun Bagan. Centre back Juanan pulled up during training and is also a doubt for tomorrow.
Key players
East Bengal will depend a lot on the attacking duo of Katsumi Yusa and Mahmoud Al Amna. Also, the defensive pairing of Eduardo and Gurwinder Singh will be needed to keep Bengaluru's famed strike force in check.
Bengaluru FC rely heavily on their two strikers - Sunil Chhetri and Miku. Both have scored four goals so far in the Super Cup and will need to add to their tally to help their side on the big day. Udanta Singh, who will be deployed as a right wing-back, will also be crucial to Albert Roca's side.
Match info
Date: April 20
Kick off time: 4 PM IST
Venue: Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneshwar
Where to watch it live?
The final will be telecasted live on Star Sports 2/2 HD. It will have the option of English as well as Hindi commentary.
The Super Cup final will also be streamed live on Hotstar and Jio TV.
You can also follow all Live updates on Sportskeeda.
Predicted lineups
East Bengal: Ubaid; Samad Gurwinder, Eduardo, Chullova; Aucho, Lobo, Danmavia, Yusa, Al Amna; Dudu
Bengaluru FC: Sandhu; Bose, Johnson, Paartalu; Dovale, Lenny, Perez, Boithang, Udanta; Chhetri, Miku
Predicted score
East Bengal 1-2 Bengaluru FC