The 2016-17 Liberia Football Association Cup has reached its final stage with two first division teams playing against each other.
The finalists were known on Wednesday, August 2 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium after the return legs of the semifinals matches.
In the day’s first encounter, which was the biggest and most exciting match, first division league leaders LISCR FC overturned a 3-2 loss to Keitrace. The 3-2 loss in the first leg meant the Shipping Boys needed at least a 2-0 win in the return leg to reach the final. However, they pulled out one of the biggest surprise in the competition with a comfortable 3-0 win over their counterparts.
With Keitrace putting an end to LISCR’s 26-game unbeaten run in the first leg with a 3-2 win, it appeared difficult for the Shipping Boys to get past a club they hadn’t beaten in their previous four meetings.
After the first leg defeat, LISCR’s head coach Tapha Manneh told reporters it wasn’t over as he was going prepare well to reach the final. Just as he promised, the Gambian tactician shut the mouths of his critics by reaching the final.
He made few changes from the squad that lost the first leg. The 2015-16 National County Sports Meet Football Most Valuable Player, Edward Ledlum, made his first appearance after a month out with a hamstring injury. Former Gardnesville Football Club attacker Sheku Sheriff made the starting lineup after missing the first leg due to a suspension.
Manneh’s changes to the squad worked well for him as he saw his side scoring two important goals before the end of the first half. A double from Sheku Sheriff sent the Shipping Boys to the break with a 2-0 lead. Sheriff got the opener in the 20th minute from Christopher Jackson’s assist before getting his second from a spectacular free kick nine minutes later.
Already scored their much needed two goals, LISCR was the side heading to the final and Keitrace FC was now the team that needed just a goal to reach the final. Manneh’s boy didn’t look comfortable with the 2-0 lead as they returned from the break stronger. They kept possession of the ball until they got their third goal of the match through former Barrack Young Controller striker Trokon Myers, who scored from Asiamuh Dann’s cross from the right side.
Three goals up with less than 15 minutes to play, LISCR prevented their opponents from scoring until the end of the final whistle, as they went through on a 5-3 aggregate win.
Meanwhile, the Paynesville-based ELWA United reached their first FA Cup final after a 4-2 win over third division team, Samira Football Club.
Samira made history in the competition by becoming the first third division team to reach the semifinals. Samira crushed out first division teams, Mighty Barrolle, Jubilee, and defending champions, Monrovia Club Breweries before being drawn against ELWA in the semifinal match.
Players of ELWA United after the semifinals first leg match against Samira FC. Photo Courtesy of LIB- Football
With ELWA lying in the relegation zone on the first division log, Samira was tipped as the favorites to reach the final with their consistent winning form over three first division teams. However, they failed to repeat as they bowed to a 2-0 defeat in the first leg.
A 3-0 win in the return leg would have seen Samira in the final, but ELWA showed they were the bigger side by recording a 4-2 win. A double from midfielder Arku Morris and an own goal gave ELWA a first half 3-0 lead.
Samira returned from the break with a goal just a minute after the restart of play through Williams Seigeh to put some smiles back on the faces of their supporters. The Scoring Scorpions continued to press for more goals to reduce the deficit as they worked the ball around the pitch. Their perfect ball display paid well for them in the 58th minute when Richard Kanneh added their second.
The goals motivated the third division side and their hopes to turn things around were restored with 32 minutes to end the match. They mounted pressure on ELWA but failed to score again until the 82nd minutes when ELWA’s Emmanuel Nimely laid the game to rest. Nimely finished from within the six-yard mark to make the score 4-2.
After a stormy opening in the second half, ELWA finally had the time to relax and played well to end the game, as Samira needed to score an additional five goals in the remaining eight minutes to reach the finals. The score stayed at 4-2 until sound of the final whistle and ELWA advanced on a 6-2 aggregate win.
ELWA and LISCR will go against each other on August 13 in the battle to win the title. ELWA United will be hoping to win their first ever FA Cup, while the Shipping Boys will be in hunt of their third. They won the competition back to back in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.
There will be fireworks from both sides as neither team has defeated the other in the past two meetings in the first division league. They played to a goalless draw in the first leg of the first division before playing to a 1-1 draw in the second phase.
Featured photo courtesy of T. Kla Wesley Jr.
