CROWNED AS CHAMPIONS

Gardnersville FC win second division title; qualify to division one along with FC Fassell 

A. Macaulay Sombai, macaulay.sombai@frontpageafricaonline.com 

Gardnersville Football Club have been crowned as champions of the second division league of the Liberia Football Association (LFA).

Somalia Drive-based club achieved the feat after a 2-1 win over Small Town International at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) in Monrovia on Sunday.

It means they will play in the first division when the next league resume.

Emmanuel Freeman got the opener for Gardnersville in the 11^th minute with a marvelous shot but Charles Davis leveled the scoreline for Small Town in the 60^th minute through a penalty kick after a teammate was tackled in the danger area.

But defender Martin Scarter of Small Town scored an own goal with a miss directed header to his goalkeeper in the 77^th minute. 

And coach Robert M. Tarplah of Gardnersville FC could not hide his excitement.

“I am very happy today in the sense that my team have been crowned as champions of the 2010/2011 LFA second division national league after our 2-1 triumph over Small Town FC here at the ATS in Monrovia.

“I told my players from the beginning of this season that our target is to qualify for the first division. And so they must remain focus and keep on their winning spree until the end of the season, which they did passionately. I must say here that I owed them a word of thank you and I hope they will improve more in the coming season,” coach Tarplah mentioned.

He commended officials of his team, especially president Mustapha Raji, who he said, contributed immensely to their success.

“The technical staff, players, officials and fans of Gardnersville FC owed Mr. Raji a great depth of gratitude for his tireless support to the development of the game in this country and we promise to do better next season.

“If I am told by my team president to choose one of the players to be honored and certificated for his excellent performance, I would chose my goalkeeper Kaifaley Saysay, because he defended us as the only goalkeeper until today we have been crowned as champions,” coach Tarplah indicated.

FC Fassell, who also qualified to division one, defeated Aries FC 2-1 to clinch the second place berth at the Nancy Doe sports ground in Kakata.

Elsewhere, premiership defending champions Mighty Barrolle drew 0-0 with Tony FC at the Doris Williams sports ground in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County while archrivals Invincible Eleven also drew 0-0 with Nimba FC in Ganta, Nimba County.

In Sanniquellie, Nimba United handed sensational LPRC Oilers their second defeat in succession with a 2-0 victory. Oilers lost 0-1 to Tony FC last week in Kakata.

Earlier on Friday, UMC Roots defeated United Soccer Ambassador 3-2 in the premiership at the ATS while 72^nd FC and Police Blue Angels drew 2-2 in a second division cracker.

Nimba FC snatched three points from Monrovia Club Breweries with a 1-0 victory in the premiership in Ganta, Nimba County.

Karn United were 1-0 winners against International Black Star in the first division at the Unification Town sports pitch in Margibi County while Mighty Barrolle forced Jubilee FC to a 1-1- draw in the premier division.

First division league club Green Pasture were to be crowned champion on Sunday if their game against Survivors had materialized, but up to news time, no reason have been established regarding why the game did not take place.

Meanwhile, the league continues today at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia as LTC Satellite rubs shoulder with Fatu FC in the day’s opening game in the first division while Watanga FC battles Devereux FC in the day’s final encounter.