By S. Siapha Mulbah
LISCR Football Club second half resurgence against Watanga in the Grand Final of the Orange Cup rewards the team the completion of their dream ending the season as double champions.
Two goals scored by Ishmael Dumbuya in the last 25 minutes of the final half secured the ‘Shipping Boys’ position as the most achieved team of the season under the Liberia Football Association based on the statistics of their performance in all competitions.
Watanga Missed penalty in the 68th minute motivated the shippers attacking force lead by Ishmael Dumbuya and Christopher Jackson. The two strikers’ coordination completed the clinching of LISCR third trophy in the just ended league season.
In the 76th minute, the Sierra Leonean player finished an assist from Christopher Jackson for the first time in the final against the Paynesville based Club at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium late Sunday April 30, 2023 evening.
He again saw the back of the net in the 82nd minute where Watanga’s goalkeeper Teddy Kollie efforts were not enough to prevent the Man of The Match brace.
LISCR Football Club is the current and newest crowned champions of the Liberia Football Association national first division league. The club took the title just a Sunday before facing off with former league champion Watanga in the final of the Orange Cup.
The Shipping Boys went to the 2022/23 FA Cup as holders of the Cup and retained the competition for the second time.
The champions also won the Liberia Football Association Super Cup at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium on Wednesday August 24, 2022 as their first trophy over Watanga.
In the match, Ishmael Dumbuya then fresh from Sierra Leone made his debut scoring the equalizer to take the game to post-match penalties after he came from the bench as a substitute in the second half.
From all indications Watanga appeared to have faced the greatest resistance of Dumbuya last season. He denied the club two trophies in two different finals scoring three goals.
Ahead of the most anticipated LFA award ceremony, football fans are of the conviction that Dumbuyah during his debut season in Liberian football demonstrated powerful display that warrants him a possible slot on the shortlist for the Most Valuable Player award.
