The 2016 Myanmar National League, also known as the 2016 Ooredoo Myanmar National League, was the 7th season of the Myanmar National League, the top Burmese professional league for association football clubs since its founding in 2009.The transfer period for the 2016 season was from 1 November 2015 to 8 January 2016.
Yangon United began the season as defending champions of the 2015 Myanmar National League. Southern Myanmar and Horizon entered as the two promoted teams from the 2015 Myanmar National League 2. Horizon FC was promoted to the MNL for the first time.
The first half of the 2016 Ooredoo MNL was completely finished on 4 April, and the second half started on May 21. The half-season transfer window was opened from April 18 to May 17. After Week 12, the remaining matches were suspended for three weeks because of the Myanmar national football team's participation in the 2016 AYA Bank Cup. The matches resumed on 11 June from Week 13.
First half-season review At the half-season break, Yadanarbon led the 2016 MNL Ooredoo standing table with 29 points, followed by Hanthawaddy United with 21 points. The 2015 General Aung San Shield winners Ayeyawady United stood third with 20 points. Reigning MNL champions Yangon United only earned 19 points and grabbed the fourth place.
Events
This season was the second Myanmar National League season to have had Ooredoo as the title sponsor, after the MFF and the Qatar-based telecom operator signed a US$1 million-a-year sponsorship contract on 10 January 2016.
Teams A total of 12 teams competed in the 2016 season: 10 sides from the 2015 season and two promoted teams from the 2015 Myanmar National League 2.
Manaw Myay and Nay Pyi Taw were relegated to the 2016 MNL-2 since they finished the 2015 season at the lowest positions. They were replaced by the two promoted teams from the 2015 MNL-2, champions Southern Myanmar and runners-up Horizon.
Stadiums
Club Home City Stadium Capacity Ayeyawady United Pathein Ayar Stadium6,000 Chin United Hakha Wammathu Maung Stadium*4,000 Hanthawaddy United Bago Taungoo Stadium4,000 Horizon Yangon Horizon Stadium*- Magwe Magway Magway Stadium*3,000 Rakhine United Sittwe Weithali Stadium*5,000 Shan United Taunggyi Taunggyi Stadium7,000 Southern Myanmar Mawlamyaing Ramanya Stadium*15,000 Yadanarbon Mandalay Bahtoo Stadium17,000 Yangon United Yangon Yangon United Sports Complex3,500 Zeyar Shwe Myay Monywa Monywa Stadium5,000 Zwegapin United Hpa-An Hpa-An Stadium*3,000 (*) – not ready to play. MNL clubs that have not had their home stadia ready to host home matches currently use Aung San Stadium and Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon.
Name changes Kanbawza FC renamed themselves to Shan United FC
Personnel and sponsoring Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAyeyawady United Kyaw Lwin Min Min Thu Grand SportChin United Soe Thein Chit Su Moe AdidasHanthawaddy United Ngwe Tun Aung Zaw FBTHorizon FC Erdinç Pala Nyi Nyi Tun Cadenza Horizon Int'l SchoolMagway Kyi Lwin Soe Min Naing Grand SportRakhine United Aung Zaw Myo Andrey Coutinho made by club Up Energy drinkShan United Soe Myat Min Win Min Htut Grand Sport ScaniaSouthern Myanmar FC Mya Lwin Pyae Phyo Aung Adidas Yuzana GroupYadanarbon René Desaeyere Yan Paing FBT AlpineYangon United Myo Min Tun Khin Maung Lwin Grand Sport First National InsuranceZeyar Shwe Myay Fabiano Jose Costa Flora Victor Coto Ortega Grand SportZwegapin United Aung Min Oo Edésio Sérgio Ribeiro de Oliveira (Junior)Made by Club Htay Group
Managerial changes
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureIncoming manager Yangon United Emerson Alcântara Sacked Marjan Sekulovski Shan United Royter Moreira Sacked Soe Myat Min Yangon United Marjan SekulovskiSacked Myo Min Tun
Foreign players The number of foreign players is restricted to four per MNL club. A team can use three foreign players on the field in each game, including a slot for a player from among AFC countries. Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC player Ayeyawady United Abubakari Yakubu Hanson Samuel Christopher Chizoba Nishihara Takumu Chin United Sackie Teah Doe Morris Joshua Papuchu Anderson Ebimo West Hanthawaddy United Bamba Gaoussou Melvin George Horizon Martin Ernest Ekici Idoko Sunday Matthew Magway Sekou Sylla Ronald Djam Kufoin Micheal Henry Alloysius Shan United Djawa Maximin Gustavo Patrick Kanyuka Southern Myanmar Doumbouya Ibrahima Ijezie Michael Eze Chika Philip Rakhine United Ndongo Philippe Andrey Coutinho Atapa Kazeem Adeolu Brima Kamara Yadanarbon Keith Martu Nah Kekere Moukailou Williams Keisuke Ogawa Yangon United Adilson Luiz Fernando Marcelo Fernandes Kunihiro Yamashita Zeyar Shwe Myay Ouattara Ibrahim Víctor Coto Marcinho Dedi Gusmawan Zwekapin United Junior Patrick Asare Clarke Clifford Ken Matsumoto
Result
League table
Result table
Matches
Fixtures and results of the Myanmar National League 2016 season.Myanmar National League
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19
Week 20
Week 21
Week 22
Top scorers
No Name Club Goal 1 Win Naing Soe Yadanarbon 16 2 Keith Martu Nah Yadanarbon 16 3 Christopher Chizoba Ayeyawady United 16 4 Kyaw Ko Ko Yangon United 13 5 Andrey Coutinho Rakhine United 10 6 Bamba Gaoussou Hanthawaddy United 10 7 Sekou Sylla Magwe 9 8 Soe Min Oo Shan United 9 9 Aung Thu Yadanarbon 8 10 Adilson Yangon United 9 11 Takumu Ayeyawady United 9 12 Ivan Hanthawaddy United 7 13 Victor Coto Ortega Zeyar Shwe Myay 7 14 Ken Zwekapin United 7 15 Aung Kyaw Naing Ayeyawady United 6
Clean Sheets
No Goalkeeper Club Matches 1 Thiha Sithu Shan United 10 2 Yan Aung Lin Yadanarbon 7 3 Van Lal Hruaia Ayeyawady United 6 4 Mung Htoi Aung Chin United 6 5 Phyo Min Maung Zeyar Shwe Myay 5
Awards
Monthly awards MonthCoach of the MonthPlayer of the MonthReferenceCoachClubPlayerClubJanuary Ngwe Tun Hanthawaddy United Maung Maung Lwin Hanthawaddy UnitedFebruary Marjan Sekulovski Yangon United Keith Martu Nah YadanarbonMarch René Desaeyere Yadanarbon Keith Martu Nah YadanarbonAprilMayJune René Desaeyere Yadanarbon Marcio GomesZeyar Shwe MyayJuly U Kyi Lwin Magwe Kyaw Ko KoYangon UnitedAugust Myo Min TunYangon United Win Naing SoeYadanarbon
See also 2016 MNL-2 2016 General Aung San Shield 2016 MFF Charity Cup List of Myanmar football transfers summer 2016
References
Myanmar National League Facebook Official Page
External links Myanmar National League Official Website Myanmar National League Facebook Official Page