2023 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League Explained

Competition:Martyr's Memorial A-Division League
Season:2023
Dates:3 March – 10 June
Winners:Church Boys United
Relegated:APF Club
FC Khumaltar
Continentalcup2:AFC Cup
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Machhindra F.C.[1]
Continentalcup1:AFC Challenge League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Church Boys United
Matches:182
Total Goals:437
League Topscorer: Afeez Olawale Oladipo
(23 goals)
Biggest Win:
(17 April 2023)
Highest Scoring:10 Goals
(11 April 2023)
Longest Wins:5 matches
Nepal Police Club
Longest Unbeaten:11 matches
Manang Marshyangdi Club
Longest Winless:14 matches
Three Star Club
Longest Losses:6 matches
Manang Marshyangdi Club
Prevseason:2021–22
Nextseason:2024
Updated:10 June 2023

The 2023 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League (Nepali: शहीद स्मारक ए डिभिजन लिग २०७९) was the 45th edition of the Martyr's Memorial A-Division League since its establishment in 1954–55. A total of 14 teams competed in the league.

Machhindra F.C. were the defending champions.

The league was scheduled to begin on 10 January 2023 but was pushed back to begin on 3 March 2023 due to a conflict between the All Nepal Football Association and the clubs regarding up-front payments.[2] [3]

On 6 June 2023, Church Boys United were crowned as league winners for the first time in club history, in what the Kathmandu Post called a "fairytale run," resulting in the team winning the title for three consecutive seasons after being promoted in the two years prior respectively.[4] However, as the champions could not secure AFC club licensing, the second-placed team Machhindra F.C. was qualified for the 2023–24 AFC Cup preliminary round 1.[5]

The season would also be the first time that one of Nepal's three departmental clubs consisting of outfits of the Army, the Police and the Armed Police Force would be relegated with the last team coming second to last and being relegated to the Martyr's Memorial B-Division League .[6]

Participating teams

The following 14 teams competed in the Martyr's Memorial A-Division League in the 2022–23 season, with 12 teams from the previous season and Church Boys United and FC Khumaltar promoted from the 2022 B-Division League.

Location

TeamLocationPrevious Season
Church Boys UnitedKathmandu1st (2022 B-Division)
Himalayan Sherpa Club10th
Machhindra F.C.1st
New Road Team3rd
Sankata BSC7th
Tribhuwan Army F.C.2nd
Nepal APF FC8th
Nepal Police Club11th
Friends ClubLalitpur12th
Jawalakhel YC9th
FC Khumaltar2nd (2022 B-Division)
Satdobato Youth Club4th
Three Star Club6th
Manang Marshyangdi ClubKathmandu5th

Personnel and kits

TeamCoachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Church Boys United Bal Gopal Maharjan Ananta TamangAnee SportsAPI Power Company Limited
Friends Club Urjan Shrestha Prakash BudhathokiUcan
Himalayan Sherpa Club Suman Shrestha Bishwas ShresthaKTM CTY
Jawalakhel YC Sunil Kumar Shrestha[7] Simanta ThapaJersey Pasal Nepal[8]
FC Khumaltar Yam Gurung Rejin SubbaStandard FashionVianet Communication
Machhindra F.C. Kishor Kumar KC Sujal ShresthaKelmePepe Pizza
Manang Marshyangdi Club Bishnu Gurung[9] Deep Karki[10] KTM CTY
Nepal APF F.C. Ratna Kaji Maharjan Top Bahadur BistaKelme
Nepal Police Club Chetan Ghimire Ram Chandra WajiKelme
New Road Team Raju Kaji Shakya Bikram DhimalKelmeShikhar Insurance
Sankata BSC Salyan Khadgi Sunil BalUcan
Satdobato Youth Club Sanoj Shrestha Sudip GurungLi-NingRoyal Blue
Tribhuvan Army F.C. Nabin Neupane Bharat KhawasKelme
Three Star Club Meghraj K.C. Bikram LamaEuro Passion USA

Foreign players

All Nepal Football Association has allowed a maximum of four foreign players including two from Asian country per team.

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3AFC PlayerSAFF PlayerFormer Player
Church Boys United Franklin Kuete Talla Joseph Bempah Yves Priso Ranjeet Pandre[11] Gagandeep Singh[12]
Friends Club Rafiq Aminu Ben Quansah Torric Jebrin Akhrorbek Uktamov Uttam Rai
Himalayan Sherpa Club Manuel Nana Agyemang[13] Pistone Mutamba Abayomi Oluwaseun Fakunle Mohamad Kdouh[14] Satyam Sharma[15]
Jawalakhel YC Masoabi Nkoto[16] Fode Fofana[17] Abdul Majid Samate Abdulaziz Nishonboev[18] Rahul Khokhar[19]
FC Khumaltar Messouke Oloumou[20] Stephane Binong[21] Theophilus Owutey Apoh[22] Sanwil D'Costa[23] Abhishek Verma[24]
Machhindra F.C. Andrés Nia Kareem Omolaja Afeez Olawale Oladipo Yuta Suzuki[25] Chencho Gyeltshen[26] Dayananda Singh Elangbam[27]
Manang Marshyangdi Club Diawandou Diagne[28] Oluwashina Azeez[29] Koffi Timothée Koudo Saidzhamol Davlatzhonov[30] Yash Mhatre[31]
Nepal APF F.C. Adama Doumbiya Armand Beadum Abdou Ramani Poutougnigni Yuya Kuriyama
Nepal Police Club Joe Aidoo Moses Twum Serge Dicka Ahmad Hijazi[32] Mohammed Ashiq[33]
New Road Team Nicolas Serge Song Jean Anicet Mboumi Stephane Junior Nguimbous Lalnunzama[34] Saivish Singh[35]
Sankata BSC Andre Thiery Biyik Nelson Yunwa Junior Nkengue Youssef Atriss Sandip Alay[36]
Satdobato Youth Club Abdul Latif Abubakari Ivan Marić[37] Sardorbek Matmuratov[38]
Tribhuvan Army Club
Three Star Club Peter Segun Ajayi Martins Kayode Siphamandla Mathenjwa Mohammad Taha

Head coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming coachDate of appointment
Manang Marshyangdi Club Kiran ShresthaPersonal Issues1 May 2023[39] Bishnu Gurung6 May 2023
Church Boys United Pradip HumagainWork permit issues[40] 6 April 2023[41] 3rd Bal Gopal Maharjan13 April 2023
Machhindra Football Club Prabesh KatuwalAppointed National Coach Assistant[42] 9 April 2023 Kishor Kumar KC[43] 9 April 2023

Venues

The league was played in two cities in the Kathmandu Valley.[44]

KathmanduLalitpur
Dasarath RangasalaChyasal StadiumANFA Complex
Capacity: 15,000Capacity: 10,000Capacity: 6,000

Regular season

League table

Results

Results by games

Season statistics

Scoring

Top Goal Scorers

As of 10 June 2023[45]

RankPlayerTeamGoals
1 Afeez Olawale OladipoMachhindra FC23
2 Messouke OloumouKhumaltar FC18
3 Masoabi NkotoJawalakhel YC16
4 Rafiq AminuFriends14
5 Dipak Raj ThakuriSatdobato YC12
6 Stephane BinongKhumaltar FC10
7 Koffi Timothée KoudoManang Marshyangdi Club9
Hat-tricks
PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Afeez Olawale Oladipo5Machhindra FCKhumaltar FC7–3[46] 11 April 2023
Stephane BinongKhumaltar FCJawalakhel YC4–2[47] 5 May 2023
Anjan BistaChurch BoysNew Road Team4–1[48] 6 May 2023
Afeez Olawale OladipoMachhindra FCSatdobato YC3–1[49] 31 May 2023

Clean Sheets

As of 10 June 2023[50]

RankPlayerTeamClean sheets
1 Yves PrisoChurch Boys11
2 Bishal ShresthaMachhindra FC9
3 Deep KarkiManang Marshyangdi Club8
Mohammad TahaThree Star Club
Satrughan ChaudharyNepal Police Club
6 Abhishek BaralSatdobato YC7
Bikesh KuthuTribhuvan Army Club
8 Tikendra Singh ThapaSankata BSC6

Awards

End-of-Season Awards

Award[51] WinnerClub
Player of the Season Ananta TamangChurch Boys United
Emerging Player Laken LimbuThree Star Club
Top Scorer Olawale Afeez OladipoMachhindra F.C.
Best Goalkeeper Yves PrisoChurch Boys United
Fair PlayNepal Police Club

Controversy

The All Nepal Football Association sanctioned Sankata BSC for delaying the kick-off of their match against Nepal APF FC and latter club for delaying the kick-off of the second half of the game.[52] [53]

FC Khumaltar was also sanctioned for breaking locker-room chairs after a 7–3 loss to Machhindra FC at Chyasal Stadium.[52]

After attempting to "attack"a referee following a 1–1 draw against New Road Team, players of Machhindra FC were sanctioned by the Football Association.[52]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Machhindra secure second spot as relegation drama continues . 2023-06-11 . kathmandupost.com . English.
  2. Web site: ‘A’ Division League from March 3 next year . The Kathmandu Post . 1 January 2023 . 30 December 2022 . 31 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221231062009/https://kathmandupost.com/football/2022/12/30/a-division-league-from-march-3-next-year . live .
  3. Web site: A-Division League pushed to March 2023 . Online Khabar . 1 January 2023 . 30 December 2022 . 30 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221230084810/https://english.onlinekhabar.com/a-division-league-start-date.html . live .
  4. Web site: Magar . Dil Kumar Ale . Church Boys cap fairytale run with ‘A’ Division League crown . The Kathmandu Post . 1 August 2023 . 6 June 2023.
  5. Web site: Timalsina . Kushal . An underdog’s rise to glory: Church Boys United’s remarkable rise from C Division to A Division Champions . Online Khabar . 1 August 2023 . 16 June 2023.
  6. Web site: Late drama rescues Three Star, APF relegated to ‘B’ div . The Kathmandu Post . 1 August 2023 . 11 June 2023.
  7. Web site: New Coach Announcement . Jawalakhel Youth Club . 22 October 2023 . 12 February 2023.
  8. Web site: JYC Jersey Pasal Nepal . Jawalakhel Youth Club . 22 October 2023 . 13 March 2023.
  9. Web site: Gurung swaps Khumaltar for Manang . Hamro Khelkud . 1 October 2023 . 6 May 2023.
  10. Web site: Manang Marshyangdi Club . 1 October 2023 . 16 February 2023.
  11. Web site: Jagadamba Steel 13th Jeetpur Simara Gold Cup: Church Boys United Enter Final. 30 March 2023. GoalNepal.com. 8 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230408082631/https://www.goalnepal.com/news/detail/15686.
  12. Web site: Player profile: Gagandeep Singh. 20 March 2023. hamrokhelkud.com. 20 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230320061352/https://www.hamrokhelkud.com/en/player/gagandeep-singh/.
  13. Web site: Ghana's Manuel Nana Agyemang joins Himalayan Sherpa FC in Nepal . Football Ghana . 1 August 2023 . 12 March 2023.
  14. Web site: Welcome Mohamad Mahmoud Kdouh to Himalayan Sherpa Club . . Himalayan Sherpa Club . 22 October 2023 . 4 March 2023.
  15. Web site: Player profile: Satyam Sharma. 5 February 2023. hamrokhelkud.com. 9 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230309122653/https://www.hamrokhelkud.com/en/player/satyam-sharma/.
  16. Web site: New signing Alert . Jawalakhel Youth Club . 22 October 2023 . 14 February 2023.
  17. Web site: Welcome Back . Jawalakhel Youth Club . 22 October 2023 . 21 February 2023.
  18. Web site: New Signings Alert . Jawalakhel Youth Club . 22 October 2023 . 21 February 2023.
  19. Web site: Player profile: Rahul Khokhar. 10 March 2023. hamrokhelkud.com. 29 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230329043314/https://www.hamrokhelkud.com/en/player/rahul-rahul/.
  20. Web site: Bringing a package of creativity and goals . Khumaltar FC . 22 October 2023 . 3 February 2023.
  21. Web site: Unleashing our secret weapon into the squad . Khumaltar FC . 22 October 2023 . 3 February 2023.
  22. Web site: Hold on guys because he is holding the midfield . Khumaltar FC . 22 October 2023 . 4 February 2023.
  23. Web site: भारतीय रक्षक सन्विल खुमलटारमा अनुबन्ध. Khumaltar sign Indian footballer. 4 March 2023. ne. https://web.archive.org/web/20230304135712/https://kheladi.com/football/10676. 4 March 2023.
  24. Web site: Khumaltar Sign Abishek Verma With Their Asian Quota. 13 January 2023. 20 January 2023. goalnepal.com. Goal Nepal. Kathmandu. 21 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230121055100/https://www.goalnepal.com/news/detail/15047.
  25. Web site: Hello Nepal I’m a White Lions. Suzuki. Instagram. Yuta . 1 August 2023 . 16 March 2023.
  26. Web site: 2023-03-30 . Machhindra FC sign 'Bhutanese Ronaldo' Chencho Gyeltshen . 2023-04-25 . OnlineKhabar . en-GB.
  27. Web site: A Division League Transfer: White Lions Sign Dayananda. 14 February 2023. 17 February 2023. Goal Nepal. https://web.archive.org/web/20230217132926/https://goalnepal.com/news/detail/15303. 17 February 2023.
  28. Web site: Official Announcement . Manang Marshyangdi Club . 1 October 2023 . 14 February 2023.
  29. Web site: OFFICIAL : NEW SIGNINGS . Manang Marshyangdi Club . 1 October 2023 . 12 March 2023.
  30. Web site: UZBEK FLAIR . Manang Marshyangdi Club . 16 October 2023 . 15 February 2023.
  31. Web site: Player profile: Yash Tukaram Mahatare. 17 April 2023. hamrokhelkud.com. 17 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230417080606/https://www.hamrokhelkud.com/en/player/yash-tukaram-mahatare/.
  32. Web site: رسميا.. حجازي يوقع لشرطة نيبال . Kooora . 3 October 2023 . Arabic . 26 April 2023.
  33. Web site: Player profile: Muhammed Ashiq Shoukathali. 13 May 2023. hamrokhelkud.com. 13 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230513065122/https://www.hamrokhelkud.com/en/player/muhammed-ashiq-shoukathali/.
  34. Web site: A Division League Warm Up: NRT Beats Church Boys In A Pre-Season Friendly. 4 February 2023. goalnepal.com. Goal Nepal. 21 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230221054831/https://www.goalnepal.com/news/detail/15211.
  35. Web site: एनआरटीले विदेशी कोटामा भित्र्यायो ३ क्यामरुनी र २ भारतीय खेलाडी. NRT has brought in 3 Cameroonian and 2 Indian players in the foreign quota. 20 February 2023. sabaikhel.com. ne. 28 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230228125412/https://sabaikhel.com/football/nrt-team/. 28 February 2023.
  36. Web site: Player profile: Sandip Alay. 12 February 2023. hamrokhelkud.com. 12 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230312182146/https://www.hamrokhelkud.com/en/player/sandip-alay/.
  37. Web site: Serbian Player in Ivan Marić is playing for Satdobato Youth Club in today's game.. Football Philosophers . 1 November 2023 . 8 March 2023.
  38. Web site: SSardorbek Matmuratov from Uzbekistan. Football Philosophers . 1 November 2023 . 8 March 2023.
  39. Web site: 1 May 2023 . Announcement . Manang Marshyangdi Club.
  40. Web site: CBU squander chance to go top . The Kathmandu Post . 6 May 2023.
  41. Web site: Church Boys United Football Club would like to inform that the club has parted ways with its Coach Pradip Humagain . Church Boys United . 1 October 2023 . 6 April 2023.
  42. Web site: Thank you, Coach . Machhindra Football Club . 1 October 2023 . 10 April 2023.
  43. Web site: We are delighted to announce . Machhindra Football Club . 1 October 2023 . 9 April 2023.
  44. Web site: Preparations in full swing for Martyr's Memorial 'A' Division League . All Nepal Football Association . 4 February 2023 . 3 February 2023 . 3 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230203224326/https://the-anfa.com/news-detail/1734 . live .
  45. Web site: Martyr's Memorial A Division League 2079 - Top Scorers . 2023-04-19 . Hamrokhelkud . en-US.
  46. Web site: Machhindra FC vs FC Khumaltar - 2023-04-11 - Martyr's Memorial A Division League 2079 (2023) . 2023-04-13 . Hamrokhelkud . en-US.
  47. Web site: FC Khumaltar vs Jawalakhel Youth Club - 2023-05-05 - Martyr's Memorial A Division League 2079 (2023) . 2023-05-09 . Hamrokhelkud . en-US.
  48. Web site: New Road Team vs Church Boys United - 2023-05-06 - Martyr's Memorial A Division League 2079 (2023) . 2023-05-09 . Hamrokhelkud . en-US.
  49. Web site: 2023-04-30 . Satdobato Youth Club vs Machhindra FC - 2023-05-31 - Martyr's Memorial A Division League 2079 (2023) . 2023-06-02 . Hamrokhelkud . en-US.
  50. Web site: Martyr's Memorial A Division League 2079 (2023) . 2023-03-07 . Hamrokhelkud . en-US.
  51. Web site: Ananta Tamang Most Valuable player, Laken Limbu Emerging Player . All Nepal Football Association . 3 October 2023 . 10 June 2023.
  52. Web site: Disciplinary Committee takes action against Sankata, Machhindra, Khumaltar and APF . The All Nepal Football Association . 25 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230424085525/https://the-anfa.com/news-detail/1831 . 24 April 2023.
  53. Web site: Sankata pip Nepal APF in controversial tie . The Himalayan Times . 25 April 2023 . 17 April 2023.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2023 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.