2019–20 I-League

The 2019–20 I-League was the 13th season of the I-League, one of the top Indian professional football leagues, since its establishment in 2007. (Officially known as Hero I-League, due to sponsorship reasons). A total of 11 teams will compete in the league.

I-League
Season2019–20
Dates30 November 2019 - 14 March 2020[1]
ChampionsMohun Bagan
AFC CupMohun Bagan
Matches played69 (Matches after 14 March 2020 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Goals scored187 (2.71 per match)
Top goalscorerDipanda Dicka
(12 goals)
Biggest home winNEROCA 5−0 TRAU
(8 February 2020)
Biggest away winNEROCA 1−4 East Bengal
(10 December 2019)
NEROCA 0−3 Mohun Bagan
(23 January 2020)
Churchill Brothers 0−3 Mohun Bagan
(22 February 2020)
Highest scoringMohun Bagan 6−2 NEROCA
(14 February 2020)
Longest winning runMohun Bagan (7 games)
Longest unbeaten runMohun Bagan
(14 games)
Longest winless runAizawl
TRAU
(5 games)
Longest losing runTRAU
Indian Arrows
East Bengal
NEROCA
(3 games)
Highest attendance63,756
Mohun Bagan 2–1 East Bengal
(19 January 2020)
Lowest attendance150
Indian Arrows 1–1 Real Kashmir
(26 January 2020)
Total attendance459,885
Average attendance9,017
2020–21 →
All statistics correct as of 18 April 2020.
Season concluded with matches remaining due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Chennai City were the defending champions, having won the previous season.[2] TRAU F.C. joined as a promoted club from the I-League 2nd Division.[3] Shillong Lajong F.C. were relegated from the I-League last season and will play in the second division in the 2019–20 season.[4] 2017-18 champion Minerva Punjab played as Punjab F.C. from this season as the club was renamed on 30 October 2019.[5]

On 18 April 2020, All India Football Federation, the organising body of the league announced Mohun Bagan A.C. as champions and decided to cancel the remaining matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No team was relegated, and the remaining prize money (apart from the champion's prize money) was equally divided among the 10 teams.[1]

Changes from last season

Promoted from the 2018–19 I-League 2nd Division

Relegated clubs

Relegated from the 2018–19 I-League

Teams
Locations of the I-League clubs

Stadiums and locations
Team City/State Stadium[6] Capacity
Aizawl Aizawl, Mizoram Rajiv Gandhi Stadium 20,000
Chennai City Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 30,000
Churchill Brothers Margao, Goa Fatorda Stadium 20,000
Gokulam Kerala Calicut, Kerala Kozhikode EMS Stadium 80,000
Indian Arrows Vasco da Gama, Goa Tilak Maidan Stadium 5,000
Mumbai, Maharashtra Cooperage Ground 5,000
Mohun Bagan Kalyani, West Bengal Kalyani Stadium 20,000
Kolkata, West Bengal Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan[derby 1] 85,000
NEROCA Imphal, Manipur Khuman Lampak Main Stadium 35,000
Punjab Panchkula, Chandigarh Guru Nanak Stadium 10,000
East Bengal Kalyani, West Bengal Kalyani Stadium 20,000
Kolkata, West Bengal Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan[EB 1] 85,000
Real Kashmir Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir TRC Turf Ground 15,000
TRAU Imphal, Manipur Khuman Lampak Main Stadium 35,000
  1. Kolkata Derby only
  1. Four home matches against Chennai City, Churchill Brothers, NEROCA and the Kolkata Derby.

Personnel and sponsorship
Team Head coach Captain Sponsor Kit Manufacturer
Aizawl Stanley Rozario Alfred Jaryan NECS Limited Vamos
Chennai City Akbar Nawas Roberto Eslava N/A Uhlsport[7]
Churchill Brothers Bernardo Tavares Willis Plaza Churchill Nivia
Gokulam Kerala Fernando Santiago Varela Marcus Joseph Sree Gokulam
Group		 Kaizen
Indian Arrows Shanmugam Venkatesh Vikram Pratap Singh Hero MotoCorp Six5Six
Mohun Bagan Kibu Vicuña Dhanachandra Singh N/A Shiv Naresh
NEROCA Gift Raikhan Marvin Philip Living 3D Vicky Transform
Punjab Yan Law Sanju Pradhan Apollo Tyres Spartan [8]
East Bengal Mario Rivera Campesino Lalrindika Ralte Quess Corp Kaizen
Real Kashmir David Robertson Loveday Enyinnaya J&K Bank Adidas
TRAU L.Nandakumar Singh Oguchi Uche Aciesta Nivia
  • Note: N/A- Not Announced

Head coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointment
Churchill Brothers Petre Gigiu Contract finished Pre-season Edward Ansah 16 May 2019[9]
Mohun Bagan Khalid Jamil Contract finished Kibu Vicuña 10 May 2019 [10]
Gokulam Kerala F.C. Gift Raikhan Contract finished Fernando Andres Santiago 1 July 2019[11]
NEROCA Manuel Retamero Fraile Contract finished Gift Raikhan 1 July 2019[12]
Punjab Sachin Badadhe End of caretaker spell Yan Law 1 July 2019
TRAU L.Nandakumar Singh Promoted to Technical Director Dimitris Dimitriou 18 September 2019
Churchill Brothers Edward Ansah Demoted to Assistant Coach Bernardo Tavares 28 November 2019
TRAU Dimitris Dimitriou Resigned Douglas Silva 29 November 2019
Douglas Silva Resigned 3rd L Nandkumar Singh 22 December 2019
L Nandkumar Singh Moved as Technical Director 3rd Dimitris Dimitriou 2 January 2020[13]
East Bengal Alejandro Menendez Resigned 6th Mario Rivera Campesino 23 January 2020[14]
TRAU Dimitris Dimitriou Sacked 3rd —

Transfers
Further information: List of 2019–20 I-League season roster changes

Foreign players

Maximum 6 foreign players per team. Indian Arrows cannot sign any foreign players as they are the All India Football Federation developmental team.

Team Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6
Aizawl Matías Verón Joseph Adjei Alfred Jaryan Abdoulaye Kanouté Justice Morgan Richard Kasagga
Chennai City Katsumi Yusa Jan Muzangu Roberto Eslava Adolfo Miranda Sandro Rodríguez Nauzet Santana
Churchill Brothers Dawda Ceesay Kalif Alhassan Sócrates Pedro Radanfah Abu Bakr Willis Plaza Robert Primus
East Bengal Johnny Acosta Kassim Aidara Jaimie Santos Colado Marcos Jiménez Espada Juan Mera Víctor Pérez
Gokulam Kerala Zohib Islam Amiri Atuheire Kipson Andre Ettienne Nathaniel Garcia Marcus Joseph Henry Kisekka
Mohun Bagan Baba Diawara Joseba Beitia Fran González Fran Morante Komron Tursunov Daneil Cyrus
NEROCA Philip Adjah Tetteh Attila Busai Boubacar Diarra Ousmane Diawara Marvin Phillip Taryk Sampson
Punjab Sérgio Barboza Valci Júnior Danilo Quipapá Dipanda Dicka Kiran Chemjong Kingsley Obumneme
Real Kashmir Kallum Higginbotham Bazie Armand Gnohere Krizo Loveday Enyinnaya Mason Robertson Aaron Katebe
TRAU Petru Leucă Princewill Emeka Joseph Olaleye Joel Sunday Oguchi Uche Gerard Williams

In bold: Players who are capped for there National Teams.

League table

Standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Mohun Bagan (C) 16 12 3 1 35 13 +22 39 Champion and Qualification for 2021 AFC Cup group stage
2 East Bengal 16 6 5 5 23 18 +5 23
3 Punjab 16 5 8 3 23 21 +2 23
4 Real Kashmir 15 6 4 5 16 14 +2 22
5 Gokulam Kerala 15 6 4 5 20 19 +1 22
6 TRAU 17 6 4 7 17 27 −10 22
7 Chennai City 15 5 5 5 20 21 −1 20
8 Churchill Brothers 15 6 2 7 23 21 +2 20
9 NEROCA 16 5 3 8 27 35 −8 18
10 Aizawl 15 3 7 5 17 19 −2 16
11 Indian Arrows 16 2 3 11 7 20 −13 9
Updated to match(es) played on 10 March 2020. Source: I-league, RSSSF
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) Champion.

Results
Home \ Away AFC CHE CHU EAB GOK INA MIN MOH NER REK TRU
Aizawl — 1–1 2–2 3–3 0–0 a 0–2 2–0
Chennai City 1–1 — 0–2 0–1 1–0 2–3 2–2 1–0
Churchill Brothers 1–2 — 1–0 1–2 3–0 4–1 2–1 1–2
East Bengal 0–1 1–1 — 1–3 0–1 1–1 a 1–1 2–1
Gokulam Kerala 1–1 2–3 1–0 1–1 — 2–1 0–1 1–1
Indian Arrows 1–2 1–3 0–1 — 1–1 0–2 0–2
Punjab 3–1 1–1 3–1 1–0 — 1–1 3–2 1–0
Mohun Bagan 2–4 2–1 2–1 1–0 1–0 — 6–2 4–0
NEROCA 1–0 1–4 3–2 0–0 0–3 — 1–0 5–0
Real Kashmir 2–1 0–1 1–1 0–2 —
TRAU 2–1 0–0 2–4 0–0 2–1 2–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 23 February 2020. Source: I-League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Note: Matches after 14 March 2020 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Season statistics
As of 10 March 2020

Scoring

Top assists
Rank Player Club Assists
1 Joseba Beitia Mohun Bagan 9
2 Israil Gurung Churchill Brothers 5
Marcos Jiménez Espada East Bengal
4 Nongdamba Naorem Mohun Bagan 4
N. Pritam Singh NEROCA
6 Dawda Ceesay Churchill Brothers 3
Jaime Santos Colado East Bengal
Kallum Higginbotham Real Kashmir
Oguchi Uche TRAU
Sanju Pradhan Punjab
Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers
11 Juan Mera East Bengal 2
Samad Ali Mallick East Bengal
Sri Ram Chennai City
Syed Suhail Pasha Chennai City
Roberto Eslava Chennai City
Daneil Cyrus Mohun Bagan
Denechandra Meitei TRAU
K. Phalguni Singh TRAU
Princewill Emeka TRAU
Paul Ramfangzauva Aizawl
Sebastian Thangmuansang Gokulam Kerala
Givson Singh Indian Arrows
Source:[16][17]

Hat-tricks
Main article: List of I-League hat-tricks
Result column shows goal tally of player's team first.
PlayerForAgainstGoalsResultDateRef
Dipanda DickaPunjabNEROCA33−229 January 2020[18]
Ningthoujam Pritam Singh NEROCATRAU35–08 February 2020[19]
Fran González Mohun BaganNEROCA36–214 February 2020[20]
Source:[15]

Cleansheets
Rank Player Club Clean
sheets
1 Sankar Roy Mohun Bagan 6
2 Marvin Phillip NEROCA 4
3 Ubaid CK Gokulam Kerala 3
Kiran Chemjong Punjab
5 Mithun Samanta TRAU 2
Jafar Mondal Churchill Brothers
Phurba Lachenpa Real Kashmir
Lalbiakhlua Jongte Indian Arrows
Zothanmawia Aizawl
Mirshad Michu East Bengal
Nauzet Santana Chennai City
12 Debjit Majumder Mohun Bagan 1
Lalremruata Arema Aizawl
Sayan Roy TRAU
Source:[15]

Player

Club
  • Most yellow cards: 24[15]
    • Punjab
  • Most red card: 3[15]
    • Gokulam Kerala

Attendance
As of 7 February 2020
Team GP Cumulative High Low Mean
Mohun Bagan 5 112,051 63,756 8,834 22,410
Gokulam Kerala 5 85,065 31,184 10,135 19,040
TRAU 4 53,042 23,682 7,564 13,260
NEROCA 4 52,808 19,782 7,444 13,202
East Bengal 7 59,471 12,722 4,573 8,496
Chennai City 4 31,302 12,307 3,863 7,825
Real Kashmir 3 26,063 11,521 6,010 8,687
Aizawl 5 26,018 7,642 2,222 5,203
Churchill Brothers 5 15,311 7,525 1,260 3,062
Punjab 6 23,674 6,421 1,131 3,945
Indian Arrows 5 3,736 1,618 150 747
Total51459,885 63,756 150 9,017
Legend  Lowest 

 Highest 

 Source:[16][21]

Note: Matches after 14 March 2020 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Award

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 Lalremruata Arema Aizawl Match 38 Gerrard Williams TRAU Match 75 —
Match 2 Marcus Joseph Gokulam Kerala Match 39 Dipanda Dicka Punjab Match 76
Match 3 Lalkhawpuimawia Churchill Brothers Match 40 Baba Diawara Mohun Bagan Match 77
Match 4 Adolfo Miranda Chennai City Match 41 Rochharzela Aizawl Match 78
Match 5 Juan Mera East Bengal Match 42 Jaime Santos Colado East Bengal Match 79
Match 6 Marvin Phillip NEROCA Match 43 Mason Robertson Real Kashmir Match 80
Match 7 Hormipam Ruivah Indian Arrows Match 44 Marcus Joseph Gokulam Kerala Match 81
Match 8 Danilo Quipapá Punjab Match 45 Dipanda Dicka Punjab Match 82
Match 9 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Match 46 Baba Diawara Mohun Bagan Match 83
Match 10 Samik Mitra Indian Arrows Match 47 Mason Robertson Real Kashmir Match 84
Match 11 Jaime Santos East Bengal Match 48 Lalbiakhlua Jongte Indian Arrows Match 85
Match 12 Kiran Chemjong Punjab Match 49 James Kithan Churchill Brothers Match 86
Match 13 Fran González Mohun Bagan Match 50 Nathaniel Garcia Gokulam Kerala Match 87
Match 14 Laishram Premjit Singh TRAU Match 51 Rochharzela Aizawl Match 88
Match 15 Dipanda Dicka Punjab Match 52 N. Pritam Singh NEROCA Match 89
Match 16 Sankar Roy Mohun Bagan Match 53 Phurba Lachenpa Real Kashmir Match 90
Match 17 William Lalnunfela Aizawl Match 54 Baba Diawara Mohun Bagan Match 91
Match 18 Jonathan Lalrawngbawla Aizawl Match 55 Glan Martins Churchill Brothers Match 92
Match 19 Khaiminthang Lhungdim NEROCA Match 56 Lalbiakhlua Jongte Indian Arrows Match 93
Match 20 Mason Robertson Real Kashmir Match 57 Abdoulaye Kanouté Aizawl Match 94
Match 21 Danish Farooq Bhat Real Kashmir Match 58 Marcus Joseph Gokulam Kerala Match 95
Match 22 Givson Singh Indian Arrows Match 59 Ansumana Kromah East Bengal Match 96
Match 23 K.Phalguni Singh TRAU Match 60 Fran González Mohun Bagan Match 97
Match 24 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Match 61 Willis Plaza Churchill Brothers Match 98
Match 25 Fran Morante Mohun Bagan Match 62 Dipanda Dicka Punjab Match 99
Match 26 Marcus Joseph Gokulam Kerala Match 63 Sayan Roy TRAU Match 100
Match 27 Ayush Adhikari Indian Arrows Match 64 Lalrindika Ralte East Bengal Match 101
Match 28 Isak Vanlalruatfela Aizawl Match 65 Sócrates Pedro Churchill Brothers Match 102
Match 29 Wahengbam Angousana Luwang TRAU Match 66 N. Pritam Singh NEROCA Match 103
Match 30 Daneil Cyrus Mohun Bagan Match 67 Fran González Mohun Bagan Match 104
Match 31 Sriram Boopathi Chennai City Match 68 Brandon Vanlalremdika East Bengal Match 105
Match 32 Gnohere Krizo Real Kashmir Match 69 Katsumi Yusa Chennai City Match 106
Match 33 Princewill Emeka TRAU Match 70 — Match 107
Match 34 Marvin Phillip NEROCA Match 71 Match 108
Match 35 Danilo Quipapá Punjab Match 72 Match 109
Match 36 Marcus Joseph Gokulam Kerala Match 73 Match 110
Match 37 Joseba Beitia Mohun Bagan Match 74 Source:[16][22]

Note: Matches after 14 March 2020 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

References
  1. "League Committee sends its recommendations to the AIFF Executive Committee | Hero I-League". Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  2. Saharoy, Shilarze (9 May 2019). "Chennai City FC crowned I-League champions after another photo finish". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  3. "TRAU FC wins Second Division League, qualifies for I-League". The Sportstar. The Hindu. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  4. "I-League: Shillong Lajong relegated after losing 4-1 to Aizawl FC". The India Today. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  5. "Minerva Punjab renamed as Punjab Football Club". The Sportstar. The Hindu. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  6. "2019-20 Hero I League Fixtures (Stadiums)". Hero I League. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  7. "Chennai City announce strategic partnership with Uhlsports". AIFF. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  8. "Spartan sports will be the official kit sponsor of Minerva Punjab FC for the upcoming season". Minerva Punjab FC. Twitter. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  9. "Ansah returns to Churchill Brothers". The Times of India. 11 August 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  10. "Football: All you need to know about Mohun Bagan's latest manager Kibu Vicuna". The Scroll. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  11. "Indian football: Fernando Santiago Varela appointed head coach of I-League club Gokulam Kerala". The Scroll. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  12. Mukherjee, Soham (4 July 2019). "I-League: Gift Raikhan likely to join NEROCA". goal.com. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  13. "Trau FC announce Cypriot 🇨🇾 Dimitris Dimitriou as their new Head Coach". I League. Twitter. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  14. "I-League: East Bengal appoint Rivera as head coach till end of the season". The Times of India. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  15. "Statistics: Hero I-League". Hero I League. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  16. "Fixtures Page | Hero I-League". Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  17. "I League: Stats". Google. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  18. "Dipanda Dicka hattrick powers Punjab FC's comeback win against Neroca". I League. AIFF. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  19. "Pritam Singh's hat-trick gives Neroca huge Imphal Derby win". I League. AIFF. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  20. "Fran Gonzalez hattrick powers table toppers Mohun Bagan past Neroca". I League. AIFF. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  21. "I League Statistics: Attendances". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  22. "I-League News". AIFF. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
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