MONROVIA, Montserrado – Following nearly a year of an inactive league season, the Liberia Football Association national league finally made a return to the familiar soccer venues.

The first sets of games were played on Monday, with top first division clubs taking early wins.

The league’s defending champions, LISCR FC; three times champions Barrack Young Controller; LPRC Oilers; and Monrovia Club Breweries all earned wins in their opening matches.

LPRC Oilers denied the NPA Anchors a victory in their return to the first division after being relegated to second division football in the previous season.

The Oil Boys put a dent in the Port Boys’ hopes with a 2-0 win. Sidiki Kromah assisted Stanley Whitfield, who got the first goal of the new season before substitute Dominic Jarteh doubled their lead.

The Oilers’ victory over NPA was followed by the day’s second match between the Monrovia Club Breweries and newly promoted side, Small Town Football Club. Club Breweries made a fine start to the match with a goal scored just two minutes after the kickoff. Mitis Mulbah got Breweries to a flying start before Lawrence Paygar got the score leveled.

However, Breweries picked up all three points after restoring the lead again despite playing with ten men for more than 50 minutes. The lead was restored from the penalty spot through goalkeeper Sampson Giddings, who was making his debut for the team.

Following the Oilers’ and Club Breweries’ wins, the opening day of the league was closed with two exciting matches in the two groups.

LISCR FC battled Keitrace FC in Group A while BYC hosted Watanga FC at the Blue Field. LISCR began their title defense with a 3-1 win over Keitrace. After a beautiful start of the match in the early minutes where both teams had created the chances but were unable to get on the scoring sheet, LISCR made sure they went to the break with a lead. Prince Urey scored in the stoppage time of the first half from Hilton Varney’s assist.

However, Keitrace returned from the break stronger with a goal in the 71^st minute. Dauda Kamara got the score leveled for ten-man Keitrace and before things got worse for the defending champions that were settling for a draw.

Six minutes after leveling the score, LISCR FC’s lead was restored with an own goal. Hilton Varney’s cross from the left side of the pitch was reached to the net through Malachi Kromah, who tried clearing the ball off his danger zone. With a 2-1 lead against Keitrace that was down to ten men, LISCR struggled to take full control of the play until substitute Varney Sando made it 3-1 in the stoppage time of the match.

LISCR could have gotten more goals after the center referee, George Rogers, sent out additional two players for violent conduct but they failed to score again until the end of the match.

In the day’s other final game, Barrack Young Controllers showed supremacy at their home ground in the PHP Community by defeating Watanga FC 3-0 at the Blue Field to begin their campaign in style.

Trokon Myers marked a late return to BYC from LISCR with a goal. Myers scored in the 22^nd minute to give BYC a lead, which they held onto until the end of the first half. They played much of the game with ten men after Yaya Bility was sent out after receiving two yellow cards.

Despite the red card, the Go Blue Boys managed to score two more goals in the second half. Mustapha Lomell scored from the penalty spot in the 59^th minute before former Watanga man, Kelvin Potis scored in the stoppage time. BYC got the win over Watanga that was later reduced to ten men and move on top of Group A.

With four games on the opening day of the league, there were 12 goals scored and six red cards issued. The two groups are topped by the two favorites, LISCR FC and BYC FC that won by three goals.

League table in full:

Group A

 

Group B

Featured photo courtesy of T. Kla Wesley Jr.