MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Liberia Football Association’s top four teams managed to keep alive their hopes of winning the first division title after all clubs pulled out a win from their various fixtures last weekend.

The bottom three clubs, Mighty Barrolle, ELWA United, and Invincible Eleven, failed to get at least a point, as they remain in danger of relegation.

League leaders FC Fassell continued their lead at the top of the table after narrowly defeating Jubilee FC’s Church Boys 1-0. Sidiki Kamara was the hero for Fassell’s Soccer Missionaries as they grabbed their 12^th victory of the league. The sit at the top of the table, while Jubilee remains in the seventh position.

Second placed LISCR FC ensured they kept pressure on the league leaders after recording a convincing 3-0 win of relegation threatened Mighty Barrolle. Having played to a disappointing goalless draw with Nimba United on match day 16, the Gardnesville-based side took advantage of the weaknesses of Mighty Barrolle to remain a contender for the league title.

A first half goal from Varney Sando and one each from Trokon Myers and Sheku Sheriff handed LISCR all three points as they moved second on the league table. Mighty Barrolle remained 10^th on the table.

Monrovia Club Breweries moved up to third on the table with 32 points, only one less than LISCR FC. The Beer Boys closed the gap on LISCR with a 2-1 win over the penultimate ELWA United. Striker James Konuwah put an end to his goal drought in when he scored in the 15^th minute to give Cub Breweries the lead and Benjamin Sackor added the second in the 71^st minute.

Just two minutes after Club Breweries doubled their lead, former LISCR striker Dominic Jlateh pulled one back for ELWA United to give them a hope of walking away with at least a point. However, the Paynesville-based side failed to get a goal again until the final whistle as they suffered their ninth defeat of the season. The defeat leaves ELWA at the 11^th position on the 12-team table.

Having started the second phase of the league on a very slow pace, league defending champions Barrack Young Controllers have put together their pieces to remain a major contender for the title. The Go Blue Boys managed a 2-0 win over Keitrace FC over the weekend.

The three-time league champions got all the three points, courtesy of goals from speedy winger, Prince Saydee and Van-Dave Harmon, who increased his tally to 11 goals from 12 matches. BYC remains fourth on the league table, but with 31 points, while Keitrace remains sixth on the table with 25 points.

Watanga Football Club managed to grab their first win of the second phase with a hard fought 1-0 win over the last ranked Invincible Eleven. Striker Chauncy Freeman registered his fifth league goal in the stoppage time of the match to help his Watanga grab a late three points.

As for the Sunshine Yellow Boys, they are yet to leave from the 12^th position since the start of the league season. From the 17 games played, they have managed two wins and a draw as they sit at the bottom of the table with seven points, while Watanga remains in the eighth position but with 21 points.

Mount Barclay-based Nimba United missed out the chance of closing the gap on Club Breweries and LISCR FC following a goalless draw at home against the LPRC Oilers. The first phase of the league was a difficult one for Oilers that saw themselves winning one, drawing one, and losing the rest of their 11 games played. However, they returned to the second phase stronger, managing three wins and three draws form their last six matches. With their form in the second phase, they are seated 9^th on the table.

This coming weekend, all attention will be focused on a clash of titans – Monrovia Club Breweries and LISCR FC. They are set to meet on Sunday, June 25 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium. A win for LISCR will see them extend their lead over the Beer Boys with four points, while Breweries will be hoping to get all three points to move to second on the table.

The Full League Table:

Featured photo by T. Kla Wesley