The 2016–17 I-League was the 10th season of the I-League, the top Indian professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 2007. The season began on 7 January 2017 and concluded on 30 April 2017.[1]
| Season | 2016–17 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7 January - 30 April 2017 |
| Champions | Aizawl 1st I-League title 1st Indian title |
| Relegated | Mumbai |
| AFC Champions League | Aizawl |
| AFC Cup | Bengaluru |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Goals scored | 225 (2.5 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Aser Pierrick Dipanda (11 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Debjit Majumder Albino Gomes (8 clean sheets) |
| Biggest home win | Bengaluru 7–0 DSK Shivajians (22 April 2017) |
| Biggest away win | Minerva Punjab 0–5 East Bengal (29 January 2017) |
| Highest scoring | Churchill Brothers 4–5 Minerva Punjab (19 February 2017) |
| Longest winning run | East Bengal (6 games) |
| Longest unbeaten run | East Bengal Mohun Bagan (9 games) |
| Longest winless run | Mumbai (16 games) |
| Longest losing run | Mumbai (6 games) |
| Highest attendance | 29,067 East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan (12 February 2017) |
| Lowest attendance | 300 Minerva Punjab vs Chennai City (8 April 2017) |
| Total attendance | 470,941 |
| Average attendance | 5,233 |
← 2015–16 2017–18 → All statistics correct as of 30 April 2017. | |
Aizawl won their first title on the final day after securing a draw against Shillong Lajong on 30 April 2017. Defending champions Bengaluru finished in the fourth place. Dempo had entered the league after being promoted from the I-League 2nd Division but withdrew from the league along with Salgaocar and Sporting Goa. Aizawl were reinstated into the league after being relegated while Churchill Brothers, Chennai City, and Minerva Punjab were granted direct-entry into the I-League.
Teams
Ten teams are competing in the league. The majority of the teams from the previous season as well as recently promoted Dempo were originally supposed to compete this season. Dempo were promoted to the I-League on 30 May 2016, defeating Minerva Academy 3–1.[2] Aizawl were relegated from the I-League the previous season, despite finishing above last place DSK Shivajians who were exempt from relegation. However, on 27 September 2016, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that Aizawl would be reinstated into the I-League for the 2016–17 season.[3]
Throughout the summer of 2016, the three Goan I-League clubs – Dempo, Salgaocar, and Sporting Goa – had been indecisive over their participation in the league. On 24 June 2016 it was first announced that Salgaocar and Sporting Goa would withdraw from the I-League following their displeasure over the proposed roadmap for Indian football for the 2017–18 season, with Dempo also threatening to do so next.[4] However, in September 2015 it was revealed that despite withdrawing Sporting Goa and Dempo still submitted their AFC Licensing documents needed for I-League play.[5] It was then revealed on 10 November that both Sporting Goa and Dempo were given national licenses for the I-League.[6] Despite this though, however, on 22 November 2016 it was officially announced by Sporting Goa that they would withdraw from the I-League for good.[7]
As well as dealing with the Goan clubs potential exit from the league, the AIFF have also worked on providing direct-entry for certain clubs into the I-League for this season. On 26 October 2016 it was revealed that both Minerva Academy and FC Bardez had submitted documents for direct-entry into the I-League.[8] However, on 23 November, it was announced that the AIFF would be issuing new tenders for a direct-entry side in the league after none of the three sides which applied fulfilled the financial criteria.[9]
On 8 December 2016, after Dempo confirmed their exit from the league, the AIFF reinstated Churchill Brothers into the I-League.[10] Finally, on 11 December 2016, the AIFF granted direct-entry to both Chennai City and Minerva Punjab to bring the number of teams in the league to ten.[11]
Stadiums and locations
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Personnel and kits
| Team | Head coach | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aizawl |  Khalid Jamil | Vamos | NE Consultancy Services |
| Bengaluru |  Albert Roca | Puma | JSW Group |
| Chennai City | V Soundararajan | Classic Polo | Baako |
| Churchill Brothers | Derrick Pereira | Strikke Sports | Churchill Group |
| DSK Shivajians |  Dave Rogers | Nivia | DSK Group |
| East Bengal | Mridul Banerjee | Shiv Naresh | Kingfisher |
| Minerva Punjab | Surinder Singh | T10 Sports | Indian Armed Forces |
| Mohun Bagan | Sanjoy Sen | Shiv Naresh | None |
| Mumbai | Oscar Bruzon | Nivia | Playwin |
| Shillong Lajong | Thangboi Singto | Adidas | Gionee |
Head coaching changes
| Team | Outgoing head coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming head coach | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | Ashley Westwood | End of Contract | 1 June 2016[22] | Pre-season | Albert Roca | 6 July 2016[23] |
| DSK Shivajians | Derrick Pereira | Resigned | 8 June 2016[24] | Dave Rogers | 14 June 2016[25] | |
| Mumbai | Khalid Jamil | Resigned | 15 June 2016[26] | Santosh Kashyap | 22 June 2016[27] | |
| Aizawl | K. Malsawmkima | Assistant coach | 20 December 2016[28] | Khalid Jamil | 20 December 2016[28] | |
| Chennai City | Robin Charles Raja | Sacked | 7 February 2017[29] | 10th | V Soundararajan | 9 February 2017[30] |
| Churchill Brothers | Alfred Fernandes | Assistant coach | 17 February 2017[31] | Derrick Pereira | 17 February 2017[31] | |
| Mumbai | Santosh Kashyap | Sacked | 18 March 2017[32] | Óscar Bruzón | 19 March 2017[33] | |
| East Bengal | Trevor Morgan | Resigned | 17 April 2017[34] | 3rd | Mridul Banerjee | 18 April 2017[35] |
Foreign players
A team can register up to four foreign players, of which one should compulsorily be a national of an Asian Country.[36]
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Asian Player |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aizawl |  Kamo Stephane Bayi |  Alfred Jaryan |  Kingsley Obumneme |  Mahmoud Amnah |
| Bengaluru | John Johnson |  Marjan Jugović | Juanan |  Cameron Watson |
| Chennai City |  Charles | Marcos Thank | Echezona Anyichie | |
| Churchill Brothers | Ansumana Kromah |  Anthony Wolfe |  Bektur Talgat Uulu | |
| DSK Shivajians |  Saša Kolunija |  Shane McFaul | Juan Quero |  Kim Song-yong |
| East Bengal |  Wedson Anselme | Willis Plaza |  Ivan Bukenya | Chris Payne |
| Minerva Punjab | Victor Amobi | Loveday Enyinnaya | Kareem Omolaja |  Sang-Min Kim |
| Mohun Bagan |  Eduardo Ferreira | Sony Norde |  Darryl Duffy |  Katsumi Yusa |
| Mumbai | Densill Theobald |  Djelaludin Sharityar | ||
| Shillong Lajong | Fábio Pena |  Aser Pierrick Dipanda |  Dan Ignat | Yuta Kinowaki |
Results
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aizawl (C) | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 14 | +10 | 37 | Qualification to Champions League qualifier |
| 2 | Mohun Bagan | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 27 | 12 | +15 | 36 | |
| 3 | East Bengal | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 33 | 15 | +18 | 33 | |
| 4 | Bengaluru | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 30 | Qualification to AFC Cup qualifying play-off[a] |
| 5 | Shillong Lajong | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 23 | +1 | 26 | |
| 6 | Churchill Brothers | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 26 | −2 | 20 | |
| 7 | DSK Shivajians | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 30 | −8 | 18 | |
| 8 | Chennai City | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 29 | −14 | 17 | |
| 9 | Minerva Punjab | 18 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 33 | −16 | 13[b] | |
| 10 | Mumbai (R) | 18 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 28 | −19 | 13[b] | Relegation to I-League 2nd Division |
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:
Results table
Season statistics
- As of 30 April 2017[37]
Top Indian scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C.K. Vineeth | Bengaluru | 7 |
| Sunil Chettri | Bengaluru | ||
| 3 | Jeje Lalpekhlua | Mohun Bagan | 5 |
| Robin Singh | East Bengal | ||
| 5 | Holicharan Narzary | DSK Shivajians | 4 |
| Balwant Singh | Mohun Bagan | ||
| 7 | Karan Sawhney | Mumbai | 3 |
| Udanta Singh | Bengaluru | ||
| Chesterpoul Lyngdoh | Churchill Brothers | ||
| Brandon Vanlalremdika | Aizawl | ||
| Laldanmawia Ralte | Aizawl | ||
| Samuel Lalmuanpuia | Shillong Lajong | ||
| Brandon Fernandes | Churchill Brothers |
Hat-tricks
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.K. Vineeth | Bengaluru | Mumbai | 3–0 | 18 January 2017 | [38] |
| Wedson Anselme | East Bengal | Minerva Punjab | 5–0 | 29 January 2017 | [39] |
| Bektur Talgat Uulu 4 | Churchill Brothers | Chennai City | 6–1 | 22 April 2017 | [40] |
4 Player scored 4 goals.
Fair play
Churchill Brothers led the fair play table at the end of the season.[41]
| Rank | Team | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
1 | Churchill Brothers | 8.07 |
2 | Chennai City | 7.91 |
3 | Shillong Lajong | 7.79 |
| 4 | Bengaluru | 7.76 |
| DSK Shivajians | 7.76 | |
6 | Aizawl | 7.74 |
7 | East Bengal | 7.73 |
8 | Minerva Punjab | 7.69 |
9 | Mumbai | 7.63 |
10 | Mohun Bagan | 7.49 |
Attendance
- As of 30 April 2017
Average home attendances
| Team | GP | Cumulative | High | Low | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Bengal | 9 | 88,537 | 29,067 | 2,351 | 9,726 |
| Bengaluru | 9 | 78,771 | 12,642 | 5,311 | 8,752 |
| Mohun Bagan | 9 | 71,199 | 23,859 | 3,256 | 7,911 |
| Aizawl | 9 | 62,488 | 11,000 | 4,725 | 6,943 |
| Shillong Lajong | 9 | 56,200 | 23,700 | 3,200 | 6,244 |
| Chennai City | 9 | 26,538 | 5,434 | 1,123 | 2,949 |
| Minerva Punjab | 9 | 24,814 | 5,169 | 300 | 2,757 |
| Churchill Brothers | 9 | 23,044 | 3,927 | 1,736 | 2,560 |
| Mumbai | 9 | 19,319 | 3,624 | 838 | 2,145 |
| DSK Shivajians | 9 | 10,051 | 1,547 | 648 | 1,118 |
| Total | 90 | 470,941 | 29,067 | 300 | 5,233 |
Highest attendances
| Rank | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance | Date | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Bengal | 0–0 | Mohun Bagan | 29,067 | 12 February 2017 | Kanchenjunga Stadium |
| 2 | Mohun Bagan | 2–1 | East Bengal | 23,859 | 9 April 2017 | Kanchenjunga Stadium |
| 3 | Shillong Lajong | 1–1 | Aizawl | 23,700 | 30 April 2017 | JLN Stadium |
| 4 | East Bengal | 1–1 | Aizawl | 12,700 | 7 January 2017 | Barasat Stadium |
| 5 | Bengaluru | 1–3 | East Bengal | 12,642 | 25 February 2017 | Sree Kanteerava Stadium |
Awards
Hero of the Match
Season awards
Hero I-League 2016–17 awards were voted by coaches and captains of the participating teams.[42]
| Award | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Hero of the League | Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru) |
| Best Goalkeeper | Debjit Majumder (Mohun Bagan) |
| Jarnail Singh Best Defender | Anas Edathodika (Mohun Bagan) |
| Best Midfielder | Alfred Jaryan (Aizawl) |
| Best Striker | Aser Pierrick Dipanda (Shillong Lajong) |
| Emerging Player | Jerry Lalrinzuala (DSK Shivajians) |
| Syed Abdul Rahim Best Coach | Khalid Jamil (Aizawl) |
| Best Organizers | DSK Shivajians Bengaluru |
| Fairplay award | Churchill Brothers |
| Best referee | Pranjal Banerjee |