2018–19 I-League

I-League
Season2018–19
ChampionsChennai City
1st I-League title
1st Indian title[1]
RelegatedShillong Lajong
AFC Champions LeagueChennai City
Matches played109
Goals scored303 (2.78 per match)
Top goalscorerPedro Manzi
Willis Plaza
(21 goals)
Biggest home winReal Kashmir 6–1 Shillong Lajong
(11 December 2018) Chennai City 6–1 Shillong Lajong
(29 December 2018)
East Bengal 5-0 Shillong Lajong
(14 February 2019)
Biggest away winMohun Bagan 0–3 Churchill Brothers
(25 November 2018) Shillong Lajong 0–3 Indian Arrows
(13 January 2019)
Highest scoringReal Kashmir 6–1 Shillong Lajong
(11 December 2018) Chennai City 6–1 Shillong Lajong
(29 December 2018) Chennai City 4–3 Aizawl
(18 January 2019)
Longest winning runChennai City, East Bengal
(4 games)
Longest unbeaten runReal Kashmir (13 games)
Longest winless runShillong Lajong (11 games)
Longest losing runShillong Lajong (5 games)
Highest attendance64,867
East Bengal 3–2 Mohun Bagan
(16 December 2018)
Lowest attendance100
Indian Arrows 0–2 Chennai City
(8 February 2019)
Total attendance1,114,349
Average attendance10,223

The 2018–19 I-League was the 12th season of the I-League, the top Indian professional football league, since its establishment in 2007. The season started on 26 October 2018 and is scheduled to conclude in March 2019.[2] Unlike the Indian Super League, the I-League did not take a mid-season break during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.[2]

Minerva Punjab was the defending champions having won the previous season. Real Kashmir joined as a promoted club from the I-League 2nd Division. Churchill Brothers, having been relegated the previous season, were given an exemption by the All India Football Federation for this season.

Chennai City FC were the champions for this season, winning the title on the last day.[3] This was their first title win in the history of the club. The top scorer in the league was Chennai City FC's Pedro Manzi, who finished the season with 21 goals.[4]

Teams

Locations of the I-League clubs


Stadiums and locations

Team City/State Stadium Capacity
Aizawl Aizawl, Mizoram Rajiv Gandhi Stadium 25,000
Chennai City Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 35,000
Churchill Brothers Vasco da Gama, Goa Tilak Maidan Stadium 15,000
East Bengal Kolkata, West Bengal Salt Lake Stadium 85,000
Gokulam Kerala Kozhikode, Kerala EMS Stadium 80,000
Indian Arrows Cuttack, Odisha
Bhubaneswar, Odisha 		Barabati Stadium
Kalinga Stadium 		60,000
30,000
Minerva Punjab Panchkula, Chandigarh Tau Devi Lal Stadium 15,000
Mohun Bagan Kolkata, West Bengal Salt Lake Stadium 85,000
NEROCA Imphal, Manipur Khuman Lampak Main Stadium 40,000
Real Kashmir Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir TRC Turf Ground 15,000
Shillong Lajong Shillong, Meghalaya Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 35,000

Personnel and sponsorship

Team Head coach Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Aizawl Stanley Rozario Vamos NECS Limited
Chennai City Akbar Nawas Penalty Nippon Paint
Churchill Brothers Petre Gigiu Nivia Churchill Group
East Bengal Alejandro Menéndez Perf Quess Corp
Gokulam Kerala Gift Raikhan Kaizen Aqualine
Indian Arrows Floyd Pinto Nike Hero
Minerva Punjab Sachin Badadhe Astro Apollo Tyres
Mohun Bagan Khalid Jamil Shiv Naresh None
NEROCA Manuel Retamero Fraile Sqad Gear Classic Group
Real Kashmir David Robertson Adidas J&K Bank
Shillong Lajong Alison Kharsyntiew Lotto McDowell's No.1

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Chennai City V. Soundararajan Contract finished Pre-season Akbar Nawas 20 March 2018[5]
Aizawl Santosh Kashyap Contract finished Gift Raikhan 6 June 2018[6]
NEROCA Gift Raikhan Contract finished Manuel Retamero Fraile 6 July 2018[7]
Indian Arrows Luís Norton de Matos Contract finished Floyd Pinto 25 July 2018[8]
Minerva Punjab Khogen Singh Contract finished Paul Munster 9 August 2018[9]
East Bengal Khalid Jamil Mutual consent Alejandro Menéndez 20 August 2018[10]
Mohun Bagan Sankarlal Chakraborty Resigned 6th(11 game in) Khalid Jamil 7 January 2019[11]
Aizawl Gift Raikhan Resigned 10th(11 game in) Stanley Rozario 9 January 2019
Minerva Punjab Paul Munster Resigned 9th(16 game in) Sachin Badadhe(interim) 12 February 2019
Gokulam Kerala Bino George Move To Technical Director 10th(18 game in) Gift Raikhan 28 February 2019

Foreign players

On 20 June 2018, it was decided by the All India Football Federation that the number of foreigners for each I-League club will be kept six as previous season. Asian player quota is abolished. Clubs can sign maximum six players of any nationality.[12]

Indian Arrows cannot sign any foreign players as they are the AIFF developmental team.

Club Foreigner 1 Foreigner 2 Foreigner 3 Foreigner 4 Foreigner 5 Foreigner 6
Aizawl Léonce Dodoz Alfred Jaryan Ansumana Kromah Kareem Omolaja Richard Kasagga
Chennai City Mauro Boerchio Jozef Kapláň Roberto Eslava Néstor Gordillo Pedro Manzi Sandro Rodríguez
Churchill Brothers Nenad Novakovic Lorougnon Christ Remi Hussein Eldor Willis Plaza Anthony Wolfe Khalid Aucho
East Bengal Jhonny Acosta Enrique Esqueda Kassim Aidara Toni Dovale Borja Gómez Pérez Jaime Santos
Gokulam Kerala Daniel Addo Fabien Vorbe Ejiogu Emmanual Andre Ettienne Marcus Joseph
Minerva Punjab Jorge Caceido Kalif Alhassan Juan Quero Mahmoud Amnah Roland Bilala
Mohun Bagan Aser Pierrick Dipanda Omar Elhussieny Sony Norde Yuta Kinowaki Kingsley Obumneme Henry Kisekka
NEROCA Aryn Williams Chencho Gyeltshen Eduardo Ferreira Katsumi Yusa Varney Kallon Felix Chidi Odili
Real Kashmir Abednego Tetteh Bazie Armand Gnohere Krizo Loveday Enyinnaya Mason Robertson Aaron Katebe
Shillong Lajong

League table

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Chennai City (C) 20 13 4 3 48 28 +20 43 Qualification for AFC Champions League preliminary round 1[a]
2 East Bengal 20 13 3 4 37 20 +17 42
3 Real Kashmir 20 10 7 3 25 14 +11 37[b]
4 Churchill Brothers 20 9 7 4 35 23 +12 34
5 Mohun Bagan 20 8 5 7 27 28 −1 29
6 NEROCA 20 7 5 8 27 26 +1 26
7 Aizawl 20 6 6 8 27 28 −1 24
8 Indian Arrows 20 6 3 11 19 28 −9 21
9 Minerva Punjab 20 4 6 10 10 19 −9 18[b]
10 Gokulam Kerala 20 3 8 9 25 33 −8 17
11 Shillong Lajong (R) 20 3 2 15 23 56 −33 11 Relegation to I-League 2nd Division (withdrew)
Source: I-league
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) goal difference; 5) number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ If the league champions cannot qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage, they will enter the AFC Cup group stage.
  2. ^ a b The game between Minerva Punjab and Real Kashmir was rescheduled, but eventually it was not played and both teams were awarded a point.[13]

Results

Home \ Away AFC CHE CHU EAB GOK INA MIN MOH NER REK SHI
Aizawl — 1–2 2–1 3–2 3–2 0–1 1–2 1–2 0–0 0–0 4–1
Chennai City 4–3 — 2–2 2–1 3–2 4–1 3–1 3–1 2–1 0–1 6–1
Churchill Brothers 4–1 3–2 — 1–2 3–1 2–1 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 4–2
East Bengal 1–1 1–2 1–1 — 3–1 1–0 0–1 3–2 2–1 1–1 5–0
Gokulam Kerala 1–3 2–3 1–1 1–2 — 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 3–1
Indian Arrows 0–0 0–2 0–1 1–2 1–0 — 2–1 0–2 2–3 2–2 1–0
Minerva Punjab 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–1 1–1 1–0 — 0–1 1–0 0–1 0–1
Mohun Bagan 2–2 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–2 1–3 2–0 — 1–0 1–2 2–0
NEROCA 0–0 3–3 2–1 0–2 1–1 3–0 0–0 2–1 — 2–3 3–2
Real Kashmir 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–2 1–0 2–0 –[a] 0–1 0–2 — 6–1
Shillong Lajong 2–1 2–4 3–2 1–3 1–1 0–3 2–2 2–3 1–2 0–1 —
Source: I-League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. ^ Both teams agreed to share one point each. Match was abandoned because of security issue.[14]

Season statistics

Scoring

As of 9 March 2019[15]

Hat-tricks

Main article: List of I-League hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ref
Pedro Manzi Chennai City Indian Arrows 4–1 (H) 26 October 2018 [16]
Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Shillong Lajong 4–2 (H) 15 November 2018 [17]
Pedro Manzi Chennai City Shillong Lajong 6–1 (H) 29 December 2018 [18]
Pedro Manzi Chennai City Gokulam Kerala 3–2 (H) 4 January 2019 [19]
Pedro Manzi Chennai City NEROCA 3–3 (A) 11 February 2019 [20]
Laldanmawia Ralte East Bengal Shillong Lajong 5–0 (H) 14 February 2019 [21]

Cleansheets

As of 9 March 2019
Rank Player Club Clean
sheets
1 Bilal Khan Real Kashmir 9
2 James Kithan Churchill Brothers 5
Prabhsukhan Singh Gill Indian Arrows
Rakshit Dagar East Bengal
5 Shilton Paul Mohun Bagan 4
6 Bhaskar Roy Minerva Punjab 3
Lalit Thapa NEROCA
Lalawmpuia Aizawl
9 Nauzet Santana Chennai City 2
Mauro Boerchio NEROCA
Arshdeep Singh Minerva Punjab
Shankar Roy Mohun Bagan
Gurpreet Singh Chabal Aizawl

Average home attendances

As of 9 March 2019[22][23]
Team GP Cumulative High Low Mean
East Bengal 10 272,699 64,867 9,952 27,270
NEROCA 10 191,383 29,932 6,135 19,139
Mohun Bagan 10 176,486 62,628 3,388 17,649
Gokulam Kerala 10 148,230 30,246 2,136 14,823
Real Kashmir 9 92,440 12,857 2,792 11,206
Chennai City 10 61,381 9,856 3,253 6,138
Minerva Punjab 10 56,239 8,591 3,470 5,624
Shillong Lajong 10 41,231 14,697 1,107 4,123
Churchill Brothers 10 33,867 3,796 2,417 3,387
Aizawl 10 28,801 5,324 863 2,881
Indian Arrows 10 16,497 4,520 100 1,640
Total 109 11,14,349 64,867 100 10,223

Awards

Hero of the Match

Match Hero of the Match Match Hero of the Match Match Hero of the Match
Player Club Player Club Player Club
Match 1 Pedro Manzi Chennai City Match 38 Nagen Tamang Real Kashmir Match 75 Jobby Justin East Bengal
Match 2 Enrique Esqueda East Bengal Match 39 Amarjit Singh Kiyam Indian Arrows Match 76 Gnohere Krizo Real Kashmir
Match 3 Arjun Jayaraj Gokulam Kerala Match 40 Khalid Aucho Churchill Brothers Match 77 Arnab Das Sharma Gokulam Kerala
Match 4 Philip Njoku Minerva Punjab Match 41 Ningthoujam Pritam Singh Gokulam Kerala Match 78 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers
Match 5 Naorem Mahesh Singh Shillong Lajong Match 42 Alexander Romario Chennai City Match 79 Boris Singh Thangjam Indian Arrows
Match 6 Bilal Khan Real Kashmir Match 43 Laldanmawia Ralte East Bengal Match 80 Lalrinchhana Aizawl
Match 7 Ronald Singh NEROCA Match 44 Henry Kisekka Mohun Bagan Match 81 Rahim Ali Indian Arrows
Match 8 Jobby Justin East Bengal Match 45 Jaime Santos East Bengal Match 82 Naorem Mahesh Singh Shillong Lajong
Match 9 Nenad Novaković Churchill Brothers Match 46 Amarjit Singh Kiyam Indian Arrows Match 83 Loveday Enyinnaya Real Kashmir
Match 10 Sony Norde Mohun Bagan Match 47 Roberto Eslava Chennai City Match 84 Enrique Esqueda East Bengal
Match 11 Ajith Kumar Chennai City Match 48 Malemngamba Meitei NEROCA Match 85 Sandro Rodríguez Chennai City
Match 12 Ashish Rai Indian Arrows Match 49 Henry Kisekka Mohun Bagan Match 86 Nenad Novaković Churchill Brothers
Match 13 Danish Farooq Real Kashmir Match 50 Eduardo Ferreira NEROCA Match 87 Pedro Manzi Chennai City
Match 14 Malemngamba Meitei NEROCA Match 51 Jobby Justin East Bengal Match 88 Laldanmawia Ralte East Bengal
Match 15 Lancine Touré Minerva Punjab Match 52 Alfred Jaryan Aizawl Match 89 Henry Kisekka Mohun Bagan
Match 16 Aser Pierrick Dipanda Mohun Bagan Match 53 Pedro Manzi Chennai City Match 90 Marcus Joseph Gokulam Kerala
Match 17 Felix Chidi Odili NEROCA Match 54 Nickson Castanha Churchill Brothers Match 91 Lalrindika Ralte East Bengal
Match 18 Gani Nigam Gokulam Kerala Match 55 Subhash Singh NEROCA Match 92 match not held
Match 19 Edwin Sydney Vanspaul Chennai City Match 56 Pedro Manzi Chennai City Match 93 Pedro Manzi Chennai City
Match 20 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Match 57 Anwar Ali Indian Arrows Match 94 Naorem Mahesh Singh Shillong Lajong
Match 21 Kabir Thaufiq Chennai City Match 58 Anthony Wolfe Churchill Brothers Match 95 Juan Quero Minerva Punjab
Match 22 Rajesh S Gokulam Kerala Match 59 Mason Robertson Real Kashmir Match 96 Suresh Singh Wangjam Indian Arrows
Match 23 Aser Pierrick Dipanda Mohun Bagan Match 60 Jobby Justin East Bengal Match 97 Néstor Gordillo Chennai City
Match 24 Novin Gurung Shillong Lajong Match 61 Omar Elhussieny Mohun Bagan Match 98 Léonce Dodoz Aizawl
Match 25 Léonce Dodoz Zikahi Aizawl Match 62 Dawda Ceesay Churchill Brothers Match 99 Enrique Esqueda East Bengal
Match 26 Néstor Gordillo Chennai City Match 63 Alfred Jaryan Aizawl Match 100 Lalkhawpuimawia Aizawl
Match 27 Bazie Armand Real Kashmir Match 64 Shilton Paul Mohun Bagan Match 101 Rahul Kannoly Praveen Indian Arrows
Match 28 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Match 65 Lalengmawia Indian Arrows Match 102 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers
Match 29 Arjun Jayaraj Gokulam Kerala Match 66 Alexander Romario Chennai City Match 103 Laldanmawia Ralte East Bengal
Match 30 Philip Njoku Minerva Punjab Match 67 Borja Gómez Pérez East Bengal Match 104 Daniel Addo Gokulam Kerala
Match 31 Sony Norde Mohun Bagan Match 68 Sandro Rodríguez Chennai City Match 105 Paul Ramfangzauva Aizawl
Match 32 Subhash Singh NEROCA Match 69 Marcus Joseph Gokulam Kerala Match 106 Phrangki Buam Shillong Lajong
Match 33 William Opoku Minerva Punjab Match 70 Phurba Lachenpa Shillong Lajong Match 107 Lalawmpuia Aizawl
Match 34 Bazie Armand Real Kashmir Match 71 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Match 108 Danish Farooq Real Kashmir
Match 35 Felix Chidi Odili NEROCA Match 72 Phurba Lachenpa Shillong Lajong Match 109 Laldanmawia Ralte East Bengal
Match 36 Jobby Justin East Bengal Match 73 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Match 110 Gaurav Bora Chennai City
Match 37 Israil Gurung Churchill Brothers Match 74 Malemngamba Meitei NEROCA

See also

References

  1. ^ Sudharshan, M (3 March 2023). "Chennai City FC owners transfer sporting license". khelnow.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b "I-League 2018-19: When does it start, fixture schedule & how to watch". Goal.com. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Chennai City sweep I-League awards". theshillongtimes.com. The Shillong Times. 21 March 2019. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Chennai City Triumph in Photo-Finish to Lift Maiden I-League Title". thequint.com. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Chennai City FC appoint Nawas as coach, Barcelona's Villa named assistant". Times of India. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Aizawl FC snap up Gift Raikhan from NEROCA FC". Goal.com. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Manuel Retamero returns to India as head coach of NEROCA FC". Goal.com. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  8. ^ "De Matos's assistant Floyd Pinto appointed coach of I-League side Indian Arrows". Scroll.in. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Paul Munster appointed new technical director of Minerva FC". Tribune India. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  10. ^ Banerjee, Ritabrata (20 August 2018). "Alejandro Menendez's appointment marks the beginning of new era in East Bengal". Goal.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Khalid Jamil joins Mohun Bagan as head coach". The Indian Express. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  12. ^ "AIFF LEAGUE COMMITTEE MEETS AT FOOTBALL HOUSE". AIFF. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  13. ^ "AIFF league committee meets in Bhubaneshwar". 13 April 2019.
  14. ^ "AIFF LEAGUE COMMITTEE MEETS IN BHUBANESWAR". Aiff. 13 April 2019.
  15. ^ "Players–Goals". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  16. ^ "Manzi Hat trick 26 October 2018". Soccerway.
  17. ^ "Plaza Hat trick 15 November 2018". Soccerway.
  18. ^ "Manzi Hat trick 29 December 2018". Soccerway.
  19. ^ "Manzi Hat trick 4 January 2019". Soccerway.
  20. ^ "Manzi Hat trick 12 February 2019". Soccerway.
  21. ^ "Ralte Hat trick 14 February 2019". Soccerway.
  22. ^ "Attendance". worldfootball.net.
  23. ^ "Attendance I-League.org". i-league.org. I-League. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
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