MONROVIA, Montserrado – The 2018 LISCR Unification Cup final between LPRC Oilers and Tony Football Club will take place today, Tuesday, June 5, with the defending Liberia first division league and FA Cup champions, LISCR Football Club, watching from the sidelines.
The two sides reached the final of the inaugural competition over the weekend after victories over host LISCR FC and second division side, Freeport Football Club. Margibi-based second division side, Tony Football Club, booked the first final place after beating Freeport FC on post-match penalties. The two second division sides played to goalless draw before winning 3-2 from post-match penalties to grab a place in the final.
Prior to their semifinal clash against Freeport Football Club, Tony FC crossed tests from third division club, GAC Football Club, the Indian-based all-star team and the first division club, Jubilee Football Club. They will look forward to continuing their success on Tuesday against an LPRC Oilers team that prevented the host, LISCR Football Club, from reaching the final.
The Oil Boys ensured they reached the final of the preseason tournament by beating LISCR FC on post-match penalties. The Oilers escaped an embarrassing exit from the tournament against LISCR FC that played with ten men for 81 minutes. Former BYC left defender, Hilton Varney, was shown a straight red card in the ninth minute for an elbow to LPRC’s defensive midfielder, Julius Nah.
Despite being a man down, LISCR went ahead in the match through Saah Nyumah, whose shot beat Saylee Swen in goal. The towering midfielder shot from outside the penalty area in the 23rd minute to give the ten-men LISCR FC the lead.
The Shipping Boys maintained their lead until the 73rd minute when former BYC’s striker Varney Dukuly leveled the score for the Oilers. The equalizer brought more light to the match, but none was able to get a goal again as the match moved to penalty kicks to decide the winner.
LISCR FC’s striker, Mark Paye, missed the only shot during the penalty kicks as Oiliers emerged as a winner with a 5-4 score-line.
Before the final on Tuesday, which will begin at 4:00 p.m., Sinkor-based youth team Cece United will take on the Sam Johnson Academy in the final of the Under-15 category. Cece United beat Monrovia Football Academy 2-0 to reach the final, while the Sam Johnson Academy managed a 3-1 win over Newkru Town’s based, CT United to grab a place in the final of the U-15 category.
Featured photo by T. Kla Wesley Jr.
