In National County Sports Meet: 16-year-old Emmanuel Sieh Brace And Marlu Johnson goals Sealed Nimba County Win Over Lofa County
By Jerome C. Willie, Jr., boyzwill26@gmail.com
The 2022-2023 edition of the nation’s most talked-about sporting festival came to an end over the weekend, as Lofa, Nimba and Sinoe Counties crown champions in Kickball, Football and Basketball.
Nimba County came from a goal down on Sunday, 15 January 2023 at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville after Pascal Harris scores in the 18′ minute to give Lofa County an early 1-0 lead over Nimba County from a beautiful header but with no time to waste Emmanuel Sieh terrific header in the 18-yard box in the 38the minute for Nimba County level the score to make it 1-1.
With still much intensity from both teams Nimba County and with just 8 ‘ minutes left plus added time to end the first 45′ minutes Nimba County got another goal through 16-year-old Emmanuel Sieh from another header in the 44’ minute from poor goalkeeper from Vinus Smith of Lofa County.
Emmanuel Sieh brace in the 38 ‘ and 44 ‘ minutes for Nimba County give Coach Mouctarr Fofana of Nimba County a 2-1 halftime win over Coach Samuel Sumo of Lofa County.
Back from recess after a splendid performance from center referee Johineo B. Morris both teams played exceptionally but it was the boys from Nimba County that controlled the match in the midfield that saw Nimba County scoring another goal through Marlu Johnson in the 10’ minute of the second half to make it 3-1 but with much time into the match Lofa County never lost hope of putting out a chase as Lofa County got a goal from the penalty spot to make a 3-2 from the team’s talisman James Tarpeh to register his 6th goal in the tournament.
And with minutes to end the match Lofa County got on the scoresheet for the second time in the second half but this time the goal was disallowed by the AR-2 referee from an outside that saw spectators on the feet with Nimba County winning a narrow 3-2 win over Lofa County to clinch the championship of the football category of the NCSM.
It was Lofa County first defeat of the tournament as Lofa County won Nimba County in the opening fixture on 18 December 2022 in Voinjama, Lofa County during the preliminary rounds of the tournament as both teams paired qualified from Group C in both kickball and football.
Lofa girls take the kickball trophy
The win for Nimba County marks the 6th Championship of the NCSM with Coach Mouctarr Fofana becoming the second coach in Nimba County history to win the trophy back-to-back.
In the grand final of the kickball category Choice Tokpah splendid display give Lofa County a comfortable 2-0 over Nimba County to win the tournament for the second time in a row. It was the second meeting between both clubs in this year’s edition of the NCSM.
Lofa and Nimba Counties play to a 1-1 draw in the opening fixture of Group C in Voinjama on 18 December 2022.
Early on before the grand final Margibi County retians the third-place trophies in both kickball and football.
In game one in the third-place match at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville on Sunday, 15 January Margibi County won Bong County 2-1 in Kickball while in football Momo Blamo hattrick and Prince Nanakpallah goals secured a 4-2 win for Margibi County over Bong County.
The game marks the second meeting between the two Counties as Bong County and Margibi County playing to a goalless draw in both kickball and football on 18 December 2022 at the David Kuyon Sports Stadium in Gbarnga, Bong during the preliminary rounds of the tournament.
In the basketball version in game one Lofa County while in the grand final, Sinoe County clinched the championship after winning Montserrado County 66-64 in a well entertaining showpiece at the SKD Gymnasium in Paynesville on Saturday, 14 January.
In another development several players walk away with individuals award for such a splendid performance during this year’s.
Among the winners include in Kickball:
Vero Francis – MVP (Lofa County)
Alone Koffa- Best Pitcher (Nimba County)
Korto Boye- Highest Home Runner (Nimba County) * An award under the spotlight
Ezekiel Dorkpah – Best Coach (Lofa County)
Football:
Emmanuel Sieh – MVP (Nimba County)
James Tarpeh- Highest goalscorer (Lofa County)
Dalton Kollie- Soccer Best Young Player of The Tournament ( Rivercess County)
Nelson Larmine- Best Defender (Nimba County)
Eric Tiawan – Best Goalkeeper- (Nimba County)
Mouctarr Fofana- Best Coach (Nimba County.
Lofa County pockets five hundred thousand Liberian dollars (LD $ 500,000.00) as winner with LD $ 300,000.00 be provided by Winners Inc while Ecobank provides the balance LD $ 200,000.00 while Nimba County walks away with One Million Liberian Dollars (LD $ 1,000,000.00) as winner for the football category with Winners Inc providing such full amount.
In the Basketball Category Sinoe County collects Five Hundred Thousand Liberian Dollars ( LD $ 500,000.00) with Winners Inc providing LD $ 300,000.00 while Ecobank provides LD $ 200,000.00.
This year’s edition officially kickoff on 17 December 2022 in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County as Grand Bassa County been the official host with Bong, Lofa and Maryland Counties serving as other venues that staged games during the preliminary rounds of tournament.
” Liberia, A Nation Celebrating 200 Years Of Existence- Maintaining The Peace Through Women’s Sports Participation was the theme the tournament played under.
ArcelorMittal serves as the major sponsor for this year’s showpiece with Winners Inc, LISCR, Ecobank, Africa Insurance Company, DOXBET, NASSCORP among others as Co- Sponsors.