BCH Lions Win First League, Earn Promotion (Again)

Image property of the MFF

On 11 October the 2020 Mongolian First League season concluded with BCH Lions finishing on top of the table. The club earned its third straight championship after securing the inaugural Second League title and earning promotion last season. BCH Lions should, therefore, be competing in the Mongolian Premier League for the first time in 2021.

In fact, BCH Lions have won a championship in every year of their existence since being founded as a breakaway team from Selengepress FC by former Selenge Press coach and current Lions coach Badarch Chin-Orgil.

BCH Lions owed much of their success to B. Munkh-Erdene who won the Golden Boot award as top scorer in the league. The former Athletic 220 FC striker bagged 33 goals in 16 matches season during his first campaign with the Lions, adding a further five assists.

Also earning potential promotion is silver medalists Khoromkhon FC who finished just one point behind BCH Lions. Khoromkhon is no stranger to the Premier League, winning the title and earning a spot in continental competition in 2014. In the end, the team may spend only one season in the First League after being relegated from the MPL in 2019. The team will take part in a play-off match against 2020's 9th-place MPL Club Mazaalaynuud to decide the top flight's tenth team.

Finishing at the bottom of the table in 9th and 10th position, respectively, are Blue Wolves and Khaan-Uul. Although there are never any guarantees in Mongolian football, these two clubs should spend 2021 in the third division.

Also earning individual awards were B. Ariunbold of Central Deer (Best Midfielder), T. Urnukhbayar of Khovd (Best Defender), and B. Munkhbold of Khoromkhon (Best Goalkeeper). Award winners each took home 500,000₮.

The full 2020 First League table is below: