Super Cup: Jamshedpur FC face uphill task against Minerva Punjab

Bhubaneswar, April 1: Jamshedpur FC who will face reigning Hero I-League champions Minerva Punjab FC at the Kalinga Stadium on Monday (April 1) at their 'second home' are taking the tie 'very seriously' with a strong intent to proceed further in the competition.

Gaffer Steve Coppell commented, "We are taking tomorrow's match very seriously. We want to go as further as we can in the tournament. When twenty professional teams are fighting against each other to prove themselves, it's going to fierce and intense. We are also here with the same intent and we are expecting nothing less than a taxing journey ahead."

Assistant Coach Ishfaq Ahmed on the opportunity for the young guns during the #HeroSuperCup!#JamKeKhelo pic.twitter.com/gsWAVxkjEG

— Jamshedpur FC (@JamshedpurFC) April 1, 2018

Nonetheless, he showed immense respect for his counterparts who are coming at the back of bringing the Hero I-League trophy to the northern part of the country after a prolonged gap of 21 years.

"We have great respect for the team. I watched a few I-League games on television and realised how competitive and tough the league is. Moreover, Minerva Punjab FC are the champions and it is going to be very tough for us."

Sumit Passi who had a tough time owing to his injury is back into the shape after a long injury lay off and now he's determined to prove his worth, should the coach provide him with an opportunity.

"It was a very tough time for me. I had to stay 11 months out for the injury. But now I've recovered and ready to give it a shot. I have played a couple of matches in the ISL also. If our coach throws me in, I'll grab the opportunity with both hands", Passi mentioned.

Football and fun go hand in hand! #JamKeKhelo pic.twitter.com/CWC1Kns3DA

— Jamshedpur FC (@JamshedpurFC) April 1, 2018

On being asked how a knock-out tournament differs from a league competition, the coach responded, "A cup competition is always different from the league. You play one bad game and you're out of the tournament."

"It's something like Poker. If you don't have a strong hand, you can't play. Moreover, if you don't execute well, you are out", Coppell quipped.

Red-hot Minerva Punjab FC have grown from strength to strength to lift their maiden Hero I-League trophy one month back. Khogen Singh pointed it out that the first match is always tough but they are confident to get the job done.

"The first match of any tournament is always important. It's going to be our first competitive match after winning the league. We have worked on our mental strength to win the league eventually."

📸 Few clicks from our practice session at the KIIT Stadium 🏟 As the #Minervans gear up to take on @JamshedpurFC in our #HeroSuperCup opener tomorrow ⚽️ (2/2) #chakdephatte #JFCvMPFC pic.twitter.com/dlvYCwKkxU

— MINERVA PUNJAB FC (@Minerva_AFC) April 1, 2018

"We believe that we can win tomorrow as well. We are looking positively to go further in the tournament. You know, the game of football is very unpredictable and we have to keep our heads down and continue the job on the field", Singh added.

Girik Khosla, the young striker who chipped in a few crucial goals in their way to secure important wins in the Hero I-League reiterated that a strong winning mentality is reverberating around in the Minerva Punjab FC dressing room and it will help them overcome Jamshedpur FC.

"We will think nothing less than a win when we hit the pitch tomorrow. We have lived our dream and now a different sort of challenge awaits us. Obviously, it'll be the icing on the cake for me if I score a goal but overall it'll be our team effort to attain the target", Khosla commented.

Match starts at 8:00pm IST

Live on Star Sports 2/2 HD/1 Tamil

Streamed live on Hotstar and Jio TV

Source: AIFF Release