Monrovia – Two first-half goals from Emmanuel Flomo and Francis Doe were all Lofa County needed to secure the 2025 National County Sports Meet football championship, defeating Grand Gedeh County in a hard-fought final.
By Christopher Walker, [email protected]
The highly anticipated final of Liberia’s biggest sporting event kicked off on Sunday at a packed Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex, where passionate fans filled the stands as early as 10 a.m.
Lofa struck first in the 11th minute when their young and prolific striker, Emmanuel Flomo, found the back of the net from inside the box.
Trailing by a goal, Grand Gedeh intensified their attack in search of an equalizer. Their efforts paid off in the 26th minute when Daniel Maoh capitalized on a rebound to slot home from close range, leveling the score at 1-1.
However, Lofa regained the lead just six minutes later when Francis Doe punished a defensive error by Emmanuel Wakaso, seizing the loose ball and firing home from close range to make it 2-1.
Despite Grand Gedeh’s persistent attacking efforts, they failed to find another equalizer before halftime.
Second Half Drama
Four minutes into the second half, Jeybag Konneh was penalized for a foul on Grand Gedeh’s Prince Peal inside the box. But Lofa’s goalkeeper, Junior Yeanaye, produced a brilliant save to deny Daniel Maoh from the penalty spot, keeping his team in front.
Grand Gedeh continued to press, with Nuch Zoh, Jesse Francis, and Maoh leading the charge, but Lofa’s defense held firm. Yeanaye remained a wall in goal, pulling off crucial saves, including a spectacular stop to deny a powerful strike from Nuch Zoh.
Despite some promising attacking moments, Lofa County managed to hold on to their two first-half goals, securing their second National County Sports Meet title.
Lofa’s Dominance in Recent Finals
Lofa has now appeared in four finals over the past seven years, winning twice. Meanwhile, Grand Gedeh, last seen in a final during the 2009/2010 edition, was hoping to reclaim glory and keep the title in the Southeast after River Gee’s triumph last year.
In the third-place match, Margibi County defeated Maryland County 3-1 to claim the bronze medal.
Grand Bassa Wins Kickball Championship
In the kickball final, Grand Bassa County dominated Grand Kru, winning 5-1 to claim the championship.
Bong County also had reason to celebrate, securing third place in kickball with a 4-0 home-run victory over Grand Gedeh.
Lofa Wins Basketball Title
Meanwhile, in the basketball final on Saturday, Lofa County staged a remarkable third-quarter comeback to defeat Sinoe County and claim the championship.
Individual Awards
Lofa County swept nearly all individual awards, except for the Best Young Player, which was awarded to Grand Gedeh’s Nuch Zoh.
• Best Goalkeeper: Junior Yeanaye (Lofa)
• Best Defender: Alexander Curtis (Lofa)
• Best Coach: Kollie Korvah (Lofa)
• Top Goal Scorer & MVP: Emmanuel Flomo (Lofa)
With another County Meet concluded, Lofa County celebrates a dominant showing across multiple disciplines, while Grand Bassa cements its place as a powerhouse in kickball.