Writes Jerome C.Willie Jr.,boyzwill26@gmail.com
Montserrado County club, Paynesville FC’s sensational striker ,H. Dan Weah continues his goalscorer fest for his club as he wins double accolade in the just-ended Liberia Football Association National Third Division Regional Playoffs held in the port city Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The Montserrado County Championship top goalscorer Weah of Paynesville FC scooped the competition highest goalscorer along with the Most Valuable Player award in the Bassa 2022 National Third Division Regional Playoffs.
The former RiverGee County striker, Weah opened his account in his team’s first fixture at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium in Buchanan on 21 May, with a brace in his club 2-0 win over Sheriff FC ( Grand Gedeh) in the preliminary rounds of the competition.
Weah scored in the 40th and 90th minutes plus added time against Sheriff FC (Grand Gedeh County) in each of the half to secured his team spot to the next round of the competition.
In the winners category of the competition, Weah’s lone goal in the 90th minute of full time secured a narrow 1-0 win for Paynesville FC over NYC FC (Nimba County) on 22 May at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium in Buchanan.
As his club progress to the quarterfinals of the winners category in an all-Montserrado County affair derby on 25 May at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium, Knockout Champions Downtown FC, Weah scores brace to give his team a thrashing 4-1 win over Downtown FC to sealed a semifinals slot in the winners category.
Weah scores from the penalty spot in the 42th minute in the first half and got his second of the game in the 48th minute to mark his second brace in the competition and also his fifth in the competition.
With just a game in the semifinals to secure a promotion to the Orange National League-2nd Division Weah performed for his club in making sure that team get promoted with his 70th minute strike after his team lead Rivercess FC ( Rivercess County ) to grab a comfortable 3-0 win for Paynesville FC over Rivercess FC on 27 May at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium.
H.Dan Weah is still one of the favorites for the golden boot again prove his worth by scoring the opening for his club in the 36th minute of the first half in the grand final over Samira FC to give his club a 1-0 halftime win .
Back from the recess, Weah continues his good form to keep the pressure on Samira FC in the second half but the back four of Samira FC remembers what Weah did early on in the first half that kept them on the feet in the early 25th minutes in the second half by stopping Weah not registering his second goal in the match with his coach Dominic Savice substituting Weah .
The two times Grand Gedeh County forward prolific goalscorer form make him the tournament highest goalscorer with seven (7) goals in all of his team matches.
He is the only player to score seven (7) goals at one venue in the competition.
This Liberian third division striker, Weah scores from the penalty spot once in the competition of the full 90th minutes.
Weah in total has scored a total of 26 goals for Paynesville FC in all competitions this season making him the club’s highest goalscorer for the 2021-2022 league season.
He netted 17 goals in 11 matches for club in the Championship, 2 goals in the knockout competition with 7 goals in the National Third Division Regional Playoffs in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
Weah’s worst tournament for 2022 was the just-ended National County Sports Meet, when he featured for Grand Gedeh in the team two games. But he failed to score for the Zulu Whisky Boys of Grand Gedeh with the team leaving in the group stage of three counties
Today, Weah walks away with a symbolic check of LD 20,000.00 along with a cash prize of LD 10,000.00 as a prize for the highest goalscorer, while he clinches the Most Valuable Player award with a cash prize of LD 25,000.00
Cyrus Barsi-Giah contributed the cash prize of LD 35,000.00 for the Highest Goalscorer and Most Valuable Player award.
The Orange National League-2nd Division outfit club NPA Anchors President Barsi-Giah said it was his way contributed to such event as a way of motivation for the young athlete.
As for the symbolic cheque it was a good will gesture by the CEO of Destine Youth Football Club Story To Glory.
In total, Weah received the cash prize of LD 10,000.00 as Highest goalscorer with a symbolic cheque of LD 20,000.00 with LD 25,000.00 cash prize for the Most Valuable Player ( MVP) in the competition.
The tournament brought together 32 teams from 14 counties with only Montserrado along with Nimba Counties being represented by 4 clubs.
This year’s tournament officially kickoff on 20 May 2022 in Buchanan, with an official program along with a parade.
Compound # One, LAC and Doris Williams Sports Stadium staged the competition with games play in the preliminary rounds.
Paynesville FC are Champions of Bassa 2022 LFA National Third Division Regional Playoffs after beating the rival from Montserrado County 4-2 in penalty shootouts followed a 2-2 draw in full time at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
Paynesville FC was presented a medals, a giant size trophy along with a symbolic cheque of LD 250,000.00 as winner with looser Samira FC walking away with medals, trophy and a symbolic cheque of LD 120,000.00.
The two clubs got promotion from the winners category, with Angels FC of Bomi winning a comfortable 4-1 win over Rivercess FC of Rivercess County in the third-place final to gain promotion.
Early on Friday, 27 May Champions, NPA Anchors II of Sinoe County got promotion to the second top-tier league the Orange National League-2nd Division with a 3-0 win in penalty shootouts after a 1-1 draw in the full 90th minutes at the expense of FC Quincy of Margibi County while Champions Tewor FC of Grand Cape County got the promotion from a win over Mighty Enforcer of Nimba County of the loosers Category.
Champions Paynesville FC, Samira FC (runner-up )( MONTS), NPA Anchors II ( SINOE) ,Tewor FC ( G.Cape Mount) and Angel FC ( BOMI) are the five new teams that will make/made up the 16 teams in the Orange National League-2nd Division league for next season.
Paynesville FC along with Samira FC join MUSCAT FC and CECE United of recent from Montserrado County to gain promotion while Angel FC becomes the 2nd team from Bomi County in a row to gain promotion.
As for NPA Anchors II of Sinoe County, it is the first time for a team from Sinoe County to gain promotion to top football in Liberia.
In another development, the 2022-2023 LFA National Regional Playoffs will be staged in Montserrado County.
The pronouncement was made by the 2nd Vice President of the LFA Adolphus Dolo when he spoke on behalf of the LFA at the crowning ceremony of Paynesville FC on Sunday, 29 May in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium.