MONROVIA, Montserrado – None of the eight participants in the quarterfinals of the National County Sports Meet produced a win in the first round of games played in Groups A and B.
In Group A, Monsterrado’s poor run continued from the preliminary group stage after playing to a 1-1 draw against Maryland. Despite being considered as one the favorites, Monsterrado has yet to show their strength as the competition continues to progress. They failed to win a single match in the initial group stage, drawing all of their three matches.
However, the match against Maryland was considered a tough one before the kickoff. Maryland might have been listed among the competition’s underdogs, but their efforts so far has put their opponents on the alert. Maryland, along with Nimba and Grand Cape Mount, took a maximum seven points from their initial group matches.
Monsterrado’s search for a win will continue on Dec. 29 when they meet 2013 football champions, Grand Cape Mount.
The second match in Group A was packed with tension as there were three red cards presented cumulatively to Grand Cape Mount and River Gee. River Gee took a 27th – minute lead through Musa Kamara and prevented Cape Mount from getting an equalizer before the first half break.
River Gee was reduced to ten men six minutes into the first half after defender Zah Tokpah intentionally elbowed an opponent in the face. The match got worse for River Gee after Cape Mount got the equalizer in the 69th minute from the penalty spot through George Freeman.
Ten minutes after leveling the score, Cape Mount also had its players reduced to ten following Boakia Kiazolou’s dismissal. The midfielder was sent off after receiving his second yellow card of the match.
With both teams playing with ten players, the match lost its momentum, as there weren’t so many chances created, and the score remained 1-1 until the sound of the final whistle.
River Gee will be without their goal engineer Young Amos, who was shown a red card after the match for attacking officials.
Group A members will continue their quarterfinals fight on Dec. 29 when winless Monsterrado meets Grand Cape Mount, while River Gee plays Maryland in an all-southeastern affair.
On match day two, Nimba escaped defeat after an exciting performance from their shot stopper Prince Marwolo, who denied Margibi chances at victory.
Prince Marwolo; Photo: T. Kla Wesley Jr.
Marwolo saved two almost certain goals that were derived from a Margibi counterattack to help his team to a goalless draw.
The shot stopper denied Lester Boyd in a one-on-one encounter in the 55th minute before repeating the same nine minutes later, pounding Margibi’s Julius Williams’ close range shot. Both teams failed to get a goal as they settled for a draw.
Defending champions Grand Bassa continues to struggle in the competition with their third draw from four matches. Despite having much of the possession against lowly ranked Lofa, Grand Bassa was unable to register a single goal as they were held to goalless draw.
Group B’s actions will continue on Dec. 30 when Bassa goes against Nimba, while Lofa plays Margibi in their second meeting in the competition. The two sides first played to a goalless draw in the group stage.
Featured photo by T. Kla Wasley
