Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 finalists Bengaluru FC will meet Hero I-League 2017-18 runners-up NEROCA FC in the last quarter-final fixture of Hero Super Cup at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday. With the kind of form the Blues have enjoyed through the season, they enter the game as firm favourites. But NEROCA will be looking to spoil the party and capture the elusive berth. Here we take a look at how the teams are placed ahead of the knockout clash.

Bengaluru FC

After losing out on the Hero ISL 2017-18 title, Bengaluru entered the competition with steely intent to add a silverware to their cabinet at the end of the season and is one of the favourites to win. But the Blues struggled to get past a stubborn Gokulam Kerala FC side in the pre-quarter finals, where an injury-time winner from Udanta Singh saved them the blushes. Given their star-studded squad and consistent form, they will surely be quite a handful for NEROCA to handle.

With Sunil Chhetri and Miku upfront, both of whom have been prolific this season, Bengaluru have the ability to break defences and score goals in the blink of an eye. They will also count on the pacy and gifted Udanta Singh in the wings to provide the necessary services. In defence, Juanan and John Johnson are commanding figures who will have youngsters like Rahul Bheke and Nishu Kumar assisting them, with custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu under the sticks, all of whom will try to keep the line leakproof.

NEROCA FC

NEROCA finished a brilliant 2017-2018 league campaign as the runners-up, the best ever position for a recently-promoted team in the Hero I-League. However, they entered the competition as the underdogs due to their young and inexperienced squad. But the Manipur-based side pulled off an upset in the pre-quarter finals, when they scored an astonishing three goals in a span of 12 minutes to shock Kerala Blasters FC. Thus, they will be high on confidence as they have nothing to lose from the fixture.

NEROCA’s main strength lies in defence, and with captain Lalit Thapa under the sticks and the likes of Gouramangi Singh and Govin Singh manning the line, Bengaluru’s attack will have to be alert to find loopholes. Felix Chidi Odili and Aryn Williams will be responsible for coming up with the goods in the attack, assisted ably by Jean Joachim and Singam Subash Singh. Overall, coach Gift Raikhan needs to focus on creating a potent strategy which will stop the Blues on their tracks and aid them in pulling off another upset.

Catch the match live on Star Sports network from 4 pm onwards.