Monrovia Times

 The Gbenzohn boys of Grand Bassa County have finally sailed through to the semi-finals stage of the ongoing National County Sports Meet, following a week long protest hullabaloo filed by Nimba.

It can be recalled that sometimes ago, Grand BassaCounty football squad defeated Nimba county 4-2 in penalties shootout to book a place to the semi finals of the competition.
The Gbenzohn boys' chance to meet Bong County in the semi finals was protested by Nimba County on grounds that players Trokon Jackson with jersey number 22 of Grand Bassa County, is registered with a playing card# 12 with the name on the game's sheet as Zizue Kollie, who is a 1st division player for Gardnersville FC, in the 1st division League.

The protest also indicated that goalkeeper Sekou Blayoh - wearing jersey # 1, is a national team player, who plays for Mighty Barrolle, a 2nd division team; and Jerry Wleh (jersey # 3) was banned by the Liberia Football Association(LFA) for double registration with ELWA United and Hope FC.

At long last, the Protest and Grievance Committee of the National County Sports Meet have released its findings into a protest filed by Nimba County against Grand Bassa in the ongoing annual competition.

 It can be recalled that sometimes ago, Grand BassaCounty football squad defeated Nimba county 4-2 in penalties shootout to book a place to the semi-finals of the competition.
The Gbenzohn boys' chance to meet Bong County in the semi finals was protested by Nimba County on grounds that players Trokon Jackson with jersey number 22 of Grand Bassa County, is registered with a playing card# 12 with the name on the game's sheet as Zizue Kollie, who is a 1st division player for Gardnersville FC, in the 1st division League.

The protest also indicated that goal keeper Sekou Blayoh - wearing jersey # 1, is a national team player, who plays for Mighty Barrolle, a 2nd division team; and Jerry Wleh (jersey # 3) was banned by the Liberia Football Association(LFA) for double registration with ELWA United and Hope FC.

…As Lofa, Bong, Grand Bassa and Montserrado Become Semi-Finalists

BY: ANTHONY TAMBA

The quarter finals stage of Liberia's biggest traditional tournament, the National County Sports Meet, ended over the weekend, with four counties booking their tickets to the semi-final stage in the football category of the competition.The counties include: Bong, Grand Bassa, Lofa, and Montserrado counties.

Bong County became the first semi-finalist after their 3-1 victory over Maryland County in a tension-packed encounter on Sunday, January 3, 2016, at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Central Monrovia.Bong county soccer squad headed by former LISCR F.C head coach Cooper Sarnor who recently signed for first division outfit Barrack Young Controllers (BYC), took the lead in the 15th minute of the match through an own goal from Kelvin Allison.

But a minute to the end of the first half, Maryland County leveled the score after a perfect strike from Emmanuel Potee that ended the first half of the encounter equilibrium.Back from recess, Ammine Max gave Bong County their second lead in the 66th minute; Arku Morris later sealed the needed points for Bong County in the 78th minute.Defending champions Grand Bassa County grabbed their ticket to the semi-final stage when they defeated Nimba 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after 90minutes and extra 30minutes of play ended goalless.

The Bassa boys proved supremacy for the third time over Nimba County in 16 years.It can be recalled that in 1990, Grand Bassa County defeated Nimba County to lift the trophy in the football category, and later in 2014, the defending champions also defeated Nimba county 2-1 to win the competition.Since five years ago, the defeat was the first time for Nimba County to drop in the quarter –finals stage.Nimba County won the competition in 1978 against Grand Kru, 1979 over Sinoe County, 2010 and 2011 over Grand Gedeh and Margibi respectively.

The Gbenzohn boys lifted the trophy two times against Nimba County in 1990 and 2014.The Wologisi boys from Lofa County also sealed their spot after a 1-0 victory in a 120-minute played against Gbarpolu County. Blama Kamara goal in the 102minutes of the encounter and 12minutes in extra time qualified Lofa County to the next stage of the competition.The game which was witnessed by prominent individuals from Lofa County, including Vice President Joseph Boakai, Defense Minister Brownie Samukai and former Foreign Affairs Minister Augustine K. Ngafuan, was Lofa first win against the Bopolu boys in three meetings in the county sports meet.Montserrado County made it through to the semi-final stage by beating Grand Gedeh county 4-2 in extra time, after the regular full 90 minutes ended 2-2.

With this result, Montserrado County will now battle Lofa County in the semi-final stage, while Bong County will engage defending champions Grand Bassa County..

The host saw a Juan Mata saw a free-kick from the edge of the area pushed away by Declan Rudd as they hosts went in search of the equalizer. 

Despite possession, it was Norwich City who took the lead in the first half through Cameron Jerome.  Things fall apart in the second half as Jerome then broke clear to feed Alex Tettey, who poked in.

It got worse for the home side in the second half as Jerome broke clear to feed Alex Tettey, who poked in.

 Despite Anthony Martial pulling a goal back, United remain winless in their last six games while Norwich move to16 place, climbing out of the relegation zone.

 United has dropped to fifth in the Premier League table.

Chelsea has returned to winning ways under the watch eye is newly appointed manager Guus Hiddinkk. Branislav Ivanovic's fifth minute’s header put the blues ahead of the struggling Black Cats and victory was effectively confirmed when Pedro pounced a loose ball before half time.

Chelsea fans unanimously back former manager Jose Mourinho with banners all around Stanford Bridge declaring support.

Cese Fabragas and Diego Costa were both booed before and during the game by supporters who clearly believe they were central in the sacking of Mourinho.

Guus Hiddink who was confirmed as Chelsea manager Just before the games watched the games from the stands alongside formers Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and club Owner Roman Abramovich as Oscar seal the games with a third from the spot after Willian was fouled. Fabio Borini scored a cancelation for Sunderland when he rushed in from close range but by far the day was all about Mourinho.

After winning the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League title, Mourinho and Chelsea have parted company with the club in 16th place after 16 matches of a difficult start to the campaign.

The Portuguese claimed his third BPL winners' medal last season in his second spell as manager at Stamford Bridge, which started in the summer of 2013.

Mourinho led Chelsea to back-to-back league titles after first arriving at the club before the 2004/05 season.

Over his two spells at Stamford Bridge, he has won 140 of his 212 matches and has the best points-per-match ratio of any manager to have taken charge of at least 15 fixtures (2.19 points per match).

The government of Liberia on Saturday December 12 lunch the national county

sports meet of Liberia.The tournament is the biggest sport festival in the country, 

hosted annually by the Ministry of youth and Sport. 

This year event lunch took places in Grand Bassa country with preliminaries

 taking place in Sanniquelle,  Nimba County, Kakata, Margibi county and Zwedru, 

 Grand Gedeh County. 

Liberia sports legend George Weah took the kick off

which mark the lunch of the tournament under the

 auspices of the ministry of youth and sport represented by 

Youth and sport Minster Engune Nagbe. 

Teams from the 15 political subdivision of Liberia

 is participating in various discipline including football, kickball, basketball, 

and volleyball. 

The winners will be crown in a ceremony after the finals at the ATS.