AFC Champions League Two Preliminary: Punjab FC have announced squad for the Kalinga Super Cup ahead of their Round of 16 match against Odisha FC, which will be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis has named the squad comprising the players who were part of the Indian Super League (ISL) season where the team finished 10th. He hopes that the mix of experience and youth will take the team ahead in the competition.
Speaking on the announcement, Dilmperis said, “We have named a squad who have been together for the whole season. The team performed well in the ISL season even though we could not achieve our target of reaching the playoffs. We will take one game at a time in the competition and hope that we can go far in the competition. We have been training well and we are ready to perform.”
Punjab have a better head-to-head record against Odisha FC this season, winning one and drawing the other. In the first meeting, they edged past Odisha 2-1 with the help of goals from Nihal Sudeesh and Leon Augustine while in the reverse fixture the game ended 1-1, with Petros Giakoumakis scoring the goal.
The fifth edition of the Kalinga Super Cup kicks off on Sunday with Kerala Blasters FC taking on East Bengal FC. The winners of the tournament will qualify for the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two Preliminary Round.
East Bengal FC are the defending champions, having beaten Odisha FC in the 2024 final in Bhubaneswar. Odisha FC (2023), FC Goa (2019) and Bengaluru FC (2018) have been the past champions of the Super Cup.
Unlike the last two years, where the tournament witnessed a group stage followed by semifinals, this season will purely be in a knockout format like 2018 and 2019, meaning every game is 'do or die'.
The round of 16 will be played on April 20, 21, 23 and 24, the quarter-finals on April 26 and 27, the semi-finals on April 30, and the final on May 3.
Punjab FC squad:
Goalkeepers: Ravi Kumar, Muheet Shabir, Ayush Deshwal.
Defenders: Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Melroy Assisi, Likmabam Rakesh Meitei, Tekcham Abhishek Singh, Ivan Novoselec , Pramveer Singh, Nongmeikapam Suresh Meitei.
Midfielders: Nikhil Prabhu, Ricky John Shabong, Vinit Rai, Manglenthang Kipgen, Ashis Pradhan, Filip Mrzljak, Laishram Rishikanta Meitei.
Forwards: Asmir Suljic, Petros Giakoumakis, Ezequiel Vidal, Mohammed Suhail F., Ninthoinganba Meetei, Nihal Sudeesh, Luka Majcen, Vishal Yadav, Leon Augustine.
Midfielders: Nikhil Prabhu, Ricky John Shabong, Vinit Rai, Manglenthang Kipgen, Ashis Pradhan, Filip Mrzljak, Laishram Rishikanta Meitei.
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Article Source: IANS