Spreading the beautiful game across different regions of the country is one of the key objectives in Vision 2047, and the Federation’s plan to host the Hero Super Cup in Kerala, where both Hero ISL and Hero I-League have come together, is part of it. the-aiff.com is currently in Malappuram and Kozhikode and is following the progress of the clubs in the Hero Super Cup closely in a series of stories.

Akhil Rawat
AIFF Media Team

KOZHIKODE: Last season's Hero ISL champions Hyderabad FC make their Hero Super Cup debut against former Hero I-League champions Aizawl FC in the opening match of Group B at the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri on Sunday, April 9, 2023, at 5:00 pm IST.

Hyderabad, who finished second in this season's league stage, were eliminated on penalties by eventual champions ATK Mohun Bagan after both semi-final legs ended goalless. In the pre-match press conference, head coach Manolo Marquez expressed his desire to end the season with silverware.

He said, "It's been a long season. We began with the Durand Cup, the ISL, and now we have the Super Cup - the season's last tournament. The idea is to be champions here.

"We are 16 teams here, and each of them are here to try and do their best. We've got a 25-man squad, but not everyone is fully fit at the moment, like Bartholomew Ogbeche and Hitesh Sharma. But we want to play in the best way possible," Marquez added.

The Spaniard also spoke about the format of the tournament and how there will be no margin for error even in the group stages. "Our group is very tough. Only one team qualifies for the semi-finals. So, even if you win the first two games but lose the last one, you could be out. It's a difficult competition," he said.

Hyderabad's first opponents Aizawl finished seventh in the Hero I-League but Marquez assured that there's no hint of complacency in his squad. "Aizawl are an I-League team, but they've got some good foreigners. We've seen their videos and we know that they can be good."

Although Aizawl failed to win any of their last seven Hero I-League games, a battling 1-0 victory over TRAU FC in the Qualifiers ensured them a spot in Group B. The Reds' assistant coach Victor Lalbiakmawia stated that his boys are up for the challenge.

"As an I-League team, it will not be easy. But we've got young and talented players who will fight for the team. We will have matches against good teams, which is very morale-boosting for us," he said.

Lalbiakmawia will bank on the pace of youngsters Tharpuia and Amawia in attack, both of whom had an excellent debut season in the Hero I-League. Among the foreigners, Japanese defender Akito Saito and Belarusian forward Ivan Veras will be key for the Mizo side.

The Hero Super Cup game between Hyderabad FC and Aizawl FC will be telecast on the Sony Sports 2 channel and streamed on FanCode.