2019 THB Champions League explained

Competition:Madagascar Pro League
Season:2019
Dates:8 March 2019 - 16 June 2019
Winners:Fosa Juniors
Promoted:Tia Kitra, Club Mananara and COSFA Division 2
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup2:Confederation Cup
Biggest Home Win:Fosa Juniors FC 8-0 JSA Antalaha - March 11, 2019 + Zanak'Ala FC 8-0 Jofama FC Ambositra - March 10, 2019
Biggest Away Win:JSA Antalaha 0-15 Ajesaia - March 13, 2019
Matches:106
Total Goals:278
Average Goals:2.62
Prevseason:2018
Nextseason:2020

The 2019 THB Champions League is the 53rd season of the THB Champions League, the top-tier football league in Madagascar. The season started on 8 March 2019 and ended on 16 June 2019.[1]

Qualification

All teams in Madagascar played its regional leagues. The champions of all regional leagues and the runner-ups of Itasy who provided the 2018 winners and Analamanga who provided the 2018 cup winners qualified to the tournament. The runner-ups of the leagues are COSFA (Analamanga) and AS JET Mada (Itasy). 3FB Betsiboka (Betsiboka) and AJSM (Melaky) were the only teams that withdrew in the First phase.

Without the 2 teams that withdrew, 22 teams qualified to the tournament.

Format

First phase

In the First phase, 24 teams would be separated in 4 groups of 6 teams. In the groups, all teams played against each other once, then the first 2 teams qualify to the Ligue des Champions 1st Division, next 3 teams qualify to Ligue des Champions 2nd Division and the last place gets eliminated from both divisions.

Withdrawal

3FB Betsiboka and AJSM withdrew. That means Group A and B would have 5 teams, while the remaining has 6. That also means that the league was played with 22 teams, 2 less teams than in the format.

Division 1

The first and second team from each group in the First phase qualify to the Ligue des Champions first division. 8 teams participate in the division. All teams play against each other once, then the team with the most points becomes the champion of Madagascar.

Division 2

The third, fourth and fiveth team from each group in the First phase qualify to the second division. 12 teams participate in the division. The 12 teams would be separated in 2 groups of 6 teams. In the groups, all teams played against each other once, then the first 2 teams on the group qualify to the Poule des As. In the Poule des As, all teams would play against each other twice (home and away), then the team with the most points becomes champions of the second division of Madagascar and gets promoted to the Ligue des Champions First Division in the 2019/20 season.

First phase

Group A

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPQualification
1Fosa Juniors FC (Boeny)4400201+1912Division 1
2Ajesaia (Bongolava)4211185+137Division 1
3JSMS (Diana)4121810-25Division 2
4TAM Port Bergé (Sofia)411296+34Division 2
5JS Antalaha (Sava)4004336-330Division 2
-3FB (Betsiboka)Withdrew

Group B

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPQualification
1AS Adema (Analamanga)431041+310Division 1
2AS JET Mada (Itasy)422031+28Division 1
3Tia Kitra (Antsiranana)420254+16Division 2
4Club M (Analanjirofo)41033303Division 2
5Voromaherin'Alaotra (Alaotra Mangoro)401328-61Division 2
-AJSM Maintirano (Melaky)Withdrew

Group C

This was the only group without draws.

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPQualification
1Zanak'Ala FC (Haute Matsiara)5500212+1915Division 1
2CNaPS Sport (Itasy)5401184+1412Division 1
3FC Vakinankaratra (Vakinankaratra)5302108+29Division 2
4Jofama FC Ambositra (Amoron'Imania)5203616-106Division 2
5AS Fitafa (Atsimo-Atsinanana)5104515-103Division 2
6FC Grand Sud Est (Menabe)5005217-150Eliminated

Group D

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPQualification
1FCA Ilakaka (Ihorombe)532072+511Division 1
23FB Toliara (Atsimo Andrefana)531193+610Division 1
3COSFA (Analamanga)5221123+98Division 2
4DCF Tôlanaro (Anosy)522156-18Division 2
5VFM Manakara (V7V)511359-44Division 2
6AS Rohondroho (Androy)5005217-150Eliminated

Division 1

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPFinish
1Fosa Juniors FC (Boeny)7520156+917Champions
2AS Adema (Analamanga)733186+212
3CNaPS Sport (Itasy)7322115+611
4Zanak'Ala FC (Haute Matsiatra)731389-110
53FB Toliara (Atsimo Andrefana)730456-19
6AS JET Mada (Itasy)714287+17
7FCA Ilakaka (Ihorombe)7133513-86
8Ajesaia (Bongolava)7034210-83

Division 2

First Stage

Group A

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPQualification
1TAM Port Bergé (Sofia)220070+76Eliminated
2Tia Kitra (Atsinanana)201114-31Poule des As
3Club Mananara (Analanjirofo)201115-41Poule des As
-JSA Antalaha (Sava)Apparently did not enter
-JSMS (Diana)
-Voromaherin'Alaotra (Alaotra-Mangoro)
It is unclear why Club M entered Poule des As instead of TAM Port Bergé; possibly their match on Apr 14 was later awarded to Club M

Group B

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPQualification
1COSFA (Analamanga)220070+76Poule des As
2FC Vakinankaratra (Vakinankaratra)201114-31Poule des As
3DCF Tôlanaro (Anosy)201115-41Eliminated
-AS Fitafa (Atsimo-Atsinanana)Apparently did not enter
-Jofama FC Ambositra (Amoron'Imania)
-VFM Manakara (V7V)

Poule des As

XTeamMWDLFGOGGDPFinish + Qualification
1Tia Kitra (Atsinanana)631275+210Champions + 2019/20 Division 1
2Club Mananara (Analanjirofo)631243+1102019/20 Division 1
3COSFA (Analamanga)623175+292019/20 Division 1
4FC Vakinankaratra(Vakinankaratra)611438-54
Eventually Club Mananara and COSFA were also promoted, along with Elgeco Plus (Antananarivo, Analamanga)

Stadiums

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Fosa Juniors Elite FCBoeny
AS AdemaAnalamangaMahamasina Municipal Stadium40,880
CNaPS SportItasyStade Municipal de Toamasina2,500
Zanak'Ala FCHaute Matsiatra
3FB ToliaraAtsimo Andrefana
AS JET MadaItasyStade Municipal de Toamasina2,500
FCA IlakakaIhorombe
AjesaiaBongolavaMahamasina Municipal Stadium40,880

Notes and References

  1. https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/madag2019.html Madagascar 2019