A year-end review of Manipur football during the year 2016 with
special reference to Churachandpur District football
-Seiminlen Kipgen
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| Pic source: http://www.comitatoaurora.com/ |
With the conclusion of the calendar year 2016, we would like to present our esteemed members the chance to look back into some of the biggest football actions seen in Manipur and other places of the Country involving our Manipur club during the year 2016.
1. The 4th Khanglai Meet 2016 (Sadar Hills )
Championship prize : Rs. 1,50,000.
FC ZALEN - the winners again
The tournament, which marked the beginning of Eimi football season in Manipur, was participated by 16 strong teams, most of them from then Sadar Hills District of Manipur with holders FC Zalen and Seikam (SK) Soccer of Churachandpur being the notable invitational teams of the tournament.
Winners : FC Zalen.
Runners-up : SK Soccer of CCpur
Top-scorer : Thangtinlen Haokip of SK Soccer.
Best Player : Nelson Kom of FC Zalen.
Best Goalkeeper : Mong Hmangte of FC Zalen.
Significantly, SK Soccer of Churachandpur finished the tournament without conceding a goal.
2. The 13th Hmar Martyrs' Trophy 2016 (Churachandpur)
Championship prize : Rs. 100,000. Duration : April-May 2016.
The tournament marked the return of official football match in Churachandpur after the district got severely hit by the infamous 31st August 2015 incident with 33 strong teams participated in this football event played at Saikot playground , Churachandpur.
Winners : Sielmat YC.
Runners-up : Lamka SC.
Top-scorer : Thangtinlen Haokip of Sielmat YC.
3. The 2nd Division I-League 2015-16
Manipur giants NEROCA FC had a bright start to the league but a moment of bad luck had cost the club from clinching the top spot of the final league table as they trailed champions Dempo SC by just 3 points with the conclusion of the league. Better luck next time.
4. The 128th Durand Cup 2016
Championship prize : Rs. 45,00,000.
NEROCA FC created history
Having been considered one of the most ambitious non I-League clubs of India, NEROCA FC created history in becoming the first club from Manipur to reach the final of Asia's oldest football tournament - the Durand Cup 2016 as the Orange brigade from Manipur agonisingly missed out the chance to lift the title as they suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Army Green in the final despite dominating majority of the final proceedings.
5. The 11th Manipur State League 2016
Winning cash prize : Rs. 2,00,000.
The league began with NEROCA FC, who were fresh from reaching the final of Durand Cup 2016, considered favourites while the league also saw former winners TRAU and new-comers Sagolband United employing overseas players for the first time in their history with 2015 finalists FC Zalen also looked promising with the arrivals of some of the most promising EIMI footballers while holders AIM also showed great intent after strengthening their squad, which won the title a year ago. The League began and as expected, NEROCA FC emerged comfortable winners of the first League round while last year's winners AIM and finalists FC ZALEN also lived upto the expectation finishing the league round in 2nd and 4th place respectively while former champions SSU of Singjamei just avoid relegation at the very last moment and emotionally, former heavyweights TRUGPU of Nambol and USA of Khurai got relegated paving ways for the new entrants.
Unlike the past seasons, the format of the league underwent drastic changes where the top-8 clubs met against each other depending on rankings and on completion of the final phase of the league, NEROCA FC emerged champions seeing off AIM in the final on penalties while NACO finished the season to a record high 3rd place with FC Zalen concluding the season in 4th position.
Winners : NEROCA FC.
Runners-up : AIM.
Top-scorer : N. Pritam Singh.
6. The (L) T. Lianboi Memorial District Super Division League 2016 (Churachandpur)
With the previous edition of the league 2015 ended without any conclusion, the 2016 edition of the league began with top clubs of District fielding a low-profile team in which Ahsijolneng FC emerged winners.
Roll of honours :
Winners : Ahsijolneng FC.
Runners-up : United Khawzim Brothers.
Player of the League : Michael Tunlalpaul of
Rangers United SS.
Top-scorer : Phungtanlian (RACC).
Best Goalkeeper : Seikhohao Guite of Ahsijolneng FC.
7. The (L) K. Hangshing Memorial District Super Division League 2016 (Sadar Hills)
Muvanlai Athletics reigns
Elsewhere in Sadar Hills, the Top Division League 2016 ended with Muvanlai Athletics Club emerging winners with an unbeaten record while fierce rivals J. Songtun YC finished second. Top-scorer : David Mangboi Lhungdim of Muvanlai Athletics.
8. The (L) Khaikhanlian Memorial District 1st Division League 2016(Churachandpur)
With the Top Division League of the District witnessing a below-par competition, the District 2nd tier football began with once a District football powerhouse such as New Lamka YC, Ganggam SC and Bungmual YC competing with eyes set solely on promotion but disappointingly, both Bungmual YC and Ganggam SC missed out the promotion slot in the aftermath of controversies that marred the league.
The following clubs earned entry into the Super Division League for next season :
1. New Lamka YC. 2. Koite Youth Union.
3. Headquarters SC. 4. Gothol FC.
9. Dr. T. Ao Memorial Trophy 2016
India's football powerhouse Manipur proved their supremacy over the regional rivals, yet again, as they eased into clinching the 29th edition of North-East Dr. T. Ao Trophy 2016 held at Arunachal Pradesh comfortably beating Sikkim in the final.
Winners : Manipur. Runners-up : Sikkim.
Top-scorer : N. Pritam Singh (Manipur).
10. The (L) Damien Letminlun Gangte Memorial District 2nd Division League 2016 (Churachandpur)
Once the District football heavyweights Lenlai Club were the notable figure of the league and the former District champions fielded a strong line-up consisting host of fame and experience players of the District and the 2015 Zomi Namni Open Football Tournament 2015 winners went on to win the league in confortable fashion.
Winners : Lenlai Club.
Runners-up : Zeals SC.
Top-scorer :
Best Player : Haokhongam Haokip(10) of Lenlai Club .
Promoted :
1. Lenlai Club. 2. Zeal SC.
3. Zillai FC. 4. FC Zotal. 5. Khallai FC.
It has been said that 3 other clubs will join the above 5 clubs into the 1st Division League but confirmation to those 3 slots is still awaited.
11. The 10th NE Tamchon Memorial Football Tournament 2016
Muvanlai Athletics grabbed the title
With the tournament having been organised as a symbol of unification and brotherhood for the tribals from North East India, the tournament has been well known and greatly appreciated by the EIMIs in Manipur and a number of Eimi team have already made a mark in this tournament, which has been organised at the national capital every year.
As the tournament has been regarded highly by the EIMIs, three Eimi teams namely Muvanlai Athletics (Thadou-Kuki), Hmar FC and Siamsinpawlpi FC (Paite Students' Organisation) used to send strong teams to light up the tournament and in this year's edition, those three teams started the event among the elites where defending champions Muvanlai Athletics successfully defended their title beating Hornbill FC of Nagaland in the final to become the second side to defend its title after Hmar FC had achieved the feat 2 years ago.
12. The 8th Seikam Memorial Open Football Tournament 2016(Churachandpur )
Championship prize : Rs. 70,000.
After one-year break, the 8th Seikam Memorial Open Football Tournament 2016 returned to action at Kholmun playground, Churachandpur from the month of late September, where over 40 teams participated in which previous winners M. Songgel YC and the other three semi-finalists of the previous edition were granted direct entry from the knock-out round.
Surprisingly, champions M. Songgel YC suffered immediate elimination as they were ousted by eternal rivals Lamka SC in the first knock-out round while last edition's semi-finalists Zoheisa FC also suffered the same fate to the champions as they were sent home in the pre-quarter finals by B.Tuibong CC. The tournament also witnessed a strong show from invitation team FC Khanglai of Sadar Hills and United Khawzim Brothers although the Sadar Hills outfit suffered elimination at the hands of SHAY of S. Haijang in one of the pre quarter-finals match played over a thick-mud pitch under heavy rain.
After one-and-a-half-months of action, the tournament came into conclusion with United Khawzim Brothers crowned the championship title after beating old-foes Ganggam SC 1-0 in the final. Meanwhile, the biggest breakthrough of the tournament being surprise semi-finalists L. Semol YC, who defied all odds to go all the way to the semi-finals.
Winners : United Khawzim Brothers. Runners-up : Ganggam SC.
Top-scorer : Ginminthang Hangshing of Ganggam SC. Best Player : Fings Satminlen Haokip of L. Semol YC.
Best Goalkeeper : Jeson Vaiphei of United Khawzim Brothers.
13. The 21st Manipur State Winners' Cup 2016
DM Rao clinched the title as winners from Imphal West have done it for the third consecutive year
Winners : DM Rao of Sekmai.
Runners-up : Muvanlai Athletics, Sadar Hills.
14. The 60th CC Meet 2016
Championship prize : Rs. 3 lacs
All surviving Manipur State League clubs were afforded entry into the tournament with all District champions of Manipur while 2 outstation teams namely Assam's Baarhoongka AC and ARC, Shillong as well as defending champions NEROCA FC were granted entry from the quarter-finals stage.
As expected, holders NEROCA FC successfully defended their title in comprehensive fashion while FC Zalen got to a better stage to those of the previous two editions as they reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in their history but lost the last-four tie to champions NEROCA FC.
Manipur State League champions NEROCA FC outplayed ARC, Shillong in the final match as they ran riot to register a comfortable 5-1 win.
Roll of honours :
Winners : NEROCA FC. Runners-up : ARC, Shillong.
Best Player : S. Subhash Singh of NEROCA FC. Top-scorer : Emmanuel of NEROCA FC.
*Ng.Ronald Singh of NEROCA FC crowned "Manipur Footballer of the Year 2016"*
For the third time in a row, a NEROCA FC player won the State's Player of the Year Award as prolific striker Ng. Ronald Singh won the State's top individual Award following the footsteps of Kh. Satish Singh (2014) and Md. Imran Khan(2015) in winning the Award.
Despite the youngster initially beginning the 11th Manipur State League 2016 from few substitution appearances, he managed to cement his place upfront with the progress of the league helping the club won the title in comfortable fashion. Apart from helping his club in winning the 11th Manipur State League 2016, the striker played instrumental role in the club's successful defence of their title in the just concluded 60th CC Meet 2016.
(This article was published on Manipur Express page 7, date 5 Jan 2016 issue)
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