2021 CFL Premier Division

CFL Premier Division A
Season2021
Dates17 August – 18 November
ChampionsMohammedan
(12th title)
Matches played41
Goals scored123 (3 per match)
Best PlayerAnurag Dhawa
Top goalscorerSantosh Baro
Best goalkeeperKuldeep Singh
Highest scoringTollygunge Agragami 2–6 Peerless
2019
2022

The 2021 Calcutta Football League Premier Division A was the 123rd season of the top state-level football league of West Bengal. It was held between mid-August and November 2021.[1][2] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to cancel Calcutta League last season,[3] but it was played this year.[4][5]

Changes from last season

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Rules and regulations

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  • Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal, the tournament format is shortened by adopting a league-cum-knockout format.[4] The 14 participating teams would be divided into two groups and each team would play against all the other teams in their respective groups once. The top three teams from each group would earn a direct quarter final berth. The remaining four teams from each group would play against each other once for the last two quarter final spots. The eight qualified teams would then play knockout matches to reach the final of Premier Division A.[5] From similar reasons ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have not participated.
  • The IFA had also increased the number of overseas players a club could register from 4 to 6, but only 2 could be named in the starting eleven.[6][7]
  • The teams were exempted from relegation this season as the lower divisions of CFL were cancelled due to the pandemic.[6][7]
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Relegated clubs

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Teams

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Managers and captains

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Team Head coach
Aryan India Rajdeep Nandy
Bhawanipore India Sankarlal Chakraborty
BSS India Goutam Ghosh
Calcutta Customs
George Telegraph India Ranjan Bhattacharjee
Kidderpore India Sanjib Pal
Mohammedan Russia Andrey Chernyshov
Tollygunge Agragami India Bimal Ghosh
Peerless India Subrata Bhattacharya
Railway India Souren Dutta
Southern Samity India Biswajit Bhattacharya
United Belgium Steven Herbots

Foreign players

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Team Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4
Aryan Cameroon Aristide Vaillant Nigeria Kareem Omolaja
Bhawanipore Ivory Coast Kamo Stephane Bayi Uganda Henry Kisekka
BSS Ivory Coast Léonce Dodoz Ivory Coast Seydou Kourouma
Calcutta Customs Ivory Coast Gatch Arthure Diomande Liberia Varney Kallon
George Telegraph Nigeria Echezona Anyichie
Kidderpore Nigeria Ejiogu Chinedu Emmanuel Ghana Stephen Abeiku
Mohammedan Serbia Nikola Stojanović Serbia Stefan Ilić Trinidad and Tobago Marcus Joseph Syria Shaher Shaheen
Peerless Liberia Ansumana Kromah Sierra Leone Dixon Alusine Cameroon Romaric Bettat
Railway Ghana Ben Quansah Cameroon Rayden Gonzo Liberia Kelvin Kollie
Southern Samity Zimbabwe Victor Kamhuka
Tollygunge Agragami Nigeria Christopher Chizoba
United Zimbabwe Dennis Zimbabwe Matthew Tendai

Group stage

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Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Bhawanipore 6 4 2 0 14 7 +7 14 Qualified for Quarterfinals
2 BSS 6 4 1 1 13 7 +6 13
3 United 6 4 1 1 11 5 +6 13
4 Mohammedan 6 3 1 2 10 5 +5 10 Relegated to Elimination round
5 Railway 6 2 1 3 8 9 −1 7
6 Southern Samity 6 1 0 5 7 12 −5 3
7 East Bengal 6 0 0 6 0 18 −18 0
Updated to match(es) played on 3 September 2021. Source: The Away End

Note: East Bengal withdrew from the league hence the oppositions were awarded walkover of 3 goals.

Fixtures and results

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Home \ Away MMD BSS BFC RLY EAB USC SSY
Mohammedan 0–1 2–0 2–2
BSS 3–1 1–3
Bhawanipore 2–0 2–2 2–2 3–0 2–1 3–2
Railway 0–1
East Bengal 0–3 0–3 0–3 0–3 0–3
United
Southern Samity 0–3 1–3 1–2 0–1
Updated to match(es) played on 5 September 2021. Source: The Away End
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Peerless 6 4 1 1 14 5 +9 13 Qualified for Quarterfinals
2 Calcutta Customs 6 4 1 1 13 4 +9 13
3 George Telegraph 6 3 3 0 9 3 +6 12
4 Aryan 6 2 3 1 9 3 +6 9 Relegated to Elimination round
5 Tollygunge Agragami 6 2 1 3 8 10 −2 7
6 Kidderpore 6 1 1 4 6 16 −10 4
7 ATK Mohun Bagan 6 0 0 6 0 18 −18 0
Updated to match(es) played on 26 August 2021. Source: The Away End

Note: ATK Mohun Bagan withdrew from the league hence the oppositions were awarded walkover of 3 goals.

Fixtures and results

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Home \ Away PRL ARN TAG AMB CCU GTL KSC
Peerless 1–0 4–1
Aryan 0–0 0–0 3–0 0–1 1–1 5–1
Tollygunge Agragami 2–6 3–0 2–3 0–1 1–0
ATK Mohun Bagan 0–3 0–3 0–3 0–3
Calcutta Customs
George Telegraph 2–0 1–1 1–1
Kidderpore 0–5
Updated to match(es) played on 26 August 2021. Source: The Away End
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Elimination round

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Play-off round 1Play-off round 2
 
      
 
 
 
 
Mohammedanw/o
 
 
 
ATK Mohun Bagan
 
Mohammedan3
 
 
 
Tollygunge Agragami1
 
Tollygunge Agragami2; 5(p)
 
 
Southern Samity2; 4(p)
 
 
Play-off round 1Play-off round 2
 
      
 
 
 
 
Aryanw/o
 
 
 
East Bengal
 
Aryan0; 2(p)
 
 
 
Railway0; 4(p)
 
Railway5
 
 
Kidderpore0
 


Knockout stage

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Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
1 October 2021 – Kalyani
 
 
BSS1
 
8 October 2021 - Naihati Stadium
 
George Telegraph2
 
George Telegraph0
 
5 October 2021 – Naihati Stadium
 
Railway (a.e.t.)1
 
Peerless0
 
18 November 2021 - Salt Lake Stadium
 
Railway4
 
Railway0
 
2 October 2021 – Naihati Stadium
 
Mohammedan1
 
United3
 
12 October 2021 - Kalyani
 
Calcutta Customs2
 
United0
 
9 October 2021 – Kalyani
 
Mohammedan1
 
Bhawanipore0
 
 
Mohammedan7
 

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ghosh, Sabyasachi (1 July 2021). "আগস্টের মাঝে শুরু হবে কলকাতা লিগ, আইএফএর বৈঠকে গরহাজির এসসি ইস্টবেঙ্গল" [Kolkata League to start mid-August, SC East Bengal absentee in meeting]. XtraTime Bangla (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  2. ^ "CFL: ১৮ অগস্ট থেকে শুরু হচ্ছে কলকাতা ফুটবল লিগ" [Kolkata League to start from 18th August]. Anandabazar (in Bengali). 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  3. ^ "No Calcutta Football League This Season, Decide Premier Division Clubs". Indian Football Association (West Bengal). 25 February 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b Sagnik (1 July 2021). "No East Bengal in Calcutta Football League? IFA to consider shorter format". The Bridge. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Indian Football Association plans Premier Group A from August". The Telegraph. 2 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Calcutta Football League pullout may relegate SC East Bengal, says Indian Football Association". Firstpost. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  7. ^ a b "আগস্টের তৃতীয় সপ্তাহেই শুরু কলকাতা লিগ, নিয়মে একাধিক বদল". sangbadpratidin. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.