Jamshedpur would like to keep its momentum going against Bengaluru in the semifinals

Jamshedpur FC players prep for the Super Cup last-four clash against Bengaluru FC in Kozhikode on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

For Jamshedpur FC, it hasn’t exactly been a great season. It finished 10th among the 11 teams at the ISL, but has played some fine football this past fortnight at the Super Cup.

Jamshedpur, in fact, qualified for the semifinals 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. They had to split points with Sreenidi Deccan and Kerala Blasters, but the win against RoundGlass Punjab helped them 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.”