As the second and final phase of the Liberia Football Association (LFA), 2nd Divisions league gets underway, Paynesville FC led the third defeat of NPA Anchors as group leaders in the campaign.
The league resumed with no shortage of headlines and dramas as the table remained unchanged for the top three contesting for promotion and the bottom three, fighting against relegation.
In Paynesville, Star player Levi Gardea stunned fast moving NPA Anchors FC with a hat-trick as the league leaders were handed a shocking 3-0 beating by Paynesville FC on Sunday afternoon at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex Practice Pitch.
The result significantly moved Paynesville in fourth place spot, with 28 points just three points off the third qualification promotion for the 1st Division football league next season.
Elsewhere, Global Pharma was unmoved in the second place following 10 men Gardnersville 2-1 win over the Pharmacists at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium last Tuesday.
A late Global Pharma pressure was rewarded with a late Randy Dukuly’s finish which halved the deficit, but even with the sending off of center half Hamad Sekou Fofana for a second bookable offense, Gardnersville held on for a 2-1 win as their coach Moutarr Fofana also saw a RED CARD after the final whistle.
Third place Pags FC didn’t take advantage of NPA Anchors and Global Pharma slipped as they became the sixth consecutive team to lose on travelling to Greenville.
PAGS were beaten 1-0 in Greenville by Sinoe NPA Anchors FC from an early score by Andrew Tarley which took the home side only 5 minutes for Tarley to score his third goal in the league to send J.E. Green Sports Pitch into robust celebration as the club recorded their sixth consecutive home win of the season.
Kollie Korvy and his green boys are in 9th with 23 points after a tough start following their promotion from the third league. Now, the team has perhaps fallen in love with life in the 2nd Division using J.E. Green as a fortress.
In the late game at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium last Saturday evening, Tony FC scored two first half goals to record a comfortable 2-0 win over Tewor FC, who remained second from bottom, but James Kamara and Momo Blamo’s ninth goal of the campaign were all sufficient as Tony stayed 4 points off the third qualifying space in fifth.
Margibi FC strengthened significantly and declared a qualification statement by winning Samira FC 1-0 at the Nancy Doe Stadium with Liberia International Morlik Keita keeping a clean sheet on his debut following his loan move from Mighty Barrolle.
Another on-loan player in Mohammed Kamara from Paynesville FC marked his debut with a goal on the hour mark to help his new side moved into sixth place.
Junior Professionals FC outclassed Life FC, who dropped mid-table following that 2-1 defeat at Tusa Field on Thursday of the week as Souleymane Sannoh’s long range strike coupled with Lawson Wesseh low drive 8 minutes from time rose the Professionals into an unquestionable 2-0 lead before Lawrence Kumeh pulled one back, but was little and too late.
Nonetheless, Varma Kpoto men finished the weekend in the relegation zone because Angel FC defeated Nimba FC by the same score line and finally, 2-2 was the score in a thrilling battle between the bottom club, Ganta Almighty FC and Black Man Warriors who made 15 additions during the mid-season transfer.
The Warriors came from behind on two occasions at the SKD Practice Pitch to nick a point off ambitious Almighty who looked promising throughout the match.
As it stands after round 16, the lost games tallied among the top three teams namely, Sinoe NPA Anchors FC, Global Pharma FC and Pags FC is now at equilibrium point of three games lost each.