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]

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
All statistics correct as of 9 March 2019.

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

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Stadiums and locations

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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

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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

Head coaching changes

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Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Position in table Incoming coach 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

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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

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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

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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

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Scoring

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As of 9 March 2019[15]

Hat-tricks

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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

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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

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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

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Hero of the Match

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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

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References

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  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.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "AIFF LEAGUE COMMITTEE MEETS IN BHUBANESWAR". Aiff. 13 April 2019.[permanent dead link]
  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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