Monrovia – The race to the second division league continued in the Montserrado County Sub-Association third Division Playoff. As teams from across the country prepare for the national playoff, four teams from Montserrado County have advanced to the semi-finals of this year’s Montserrado County Division Playoffs. Among them are Gardnersville-based Pepper FC, Brewerville United, Philadelphia Lone Star, and youthful Discoveries Football Academy. The four teams will represent Montserrado later this month in the National Third Division Playoffs that will take place in Monrovia.
By Christopher C. Walker [email protected]
Giant Killers Pepper FC eliminated Roundus FC to secure their place in the semi-finals and a place in the national playoff. The Barnersville-based club sealed their qualification in grand style after trashing Roundus FC 7-0 in the Winners’ category of the Montserrado Sub-Association Third Division playoff. Pepper FC, the current champions of the Gardnersville Subcommittee Third Division league, dominated the match from start to finish but missed two penalties on the field of play. A brace from Leo Wolli and a hat-trick from Antonio Ndorbor were enough to trash Roundous Football Club out of the competition as Sheriff Donzo and Wakia Tureh scored a goal each.
Brewerville United FC, however, on Saturday, May 6th, made it to the national playoff as one of the five Montserrado representatives in the 2023 national 3rd division playoffs. The St. Paul River sub-association representative defeated Downtown 4-3 in post-match penalties on Saturday, joining Pepper FC and Philadelphia Lone Star, who had qualified earlier on.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia Lone Star secured a 2-1 win over Amazing FC in the quarterfinal of Montserrado Sub-Association third Division Playoff. While Johnsonville Sub-Association representative Discoveries Football Academy surprised many with a win over Congress FC. Discoveries Football Academy defeated Congress FC 6-4 in a thrilling match on Sunday at the Tusa Field to become the fourth team from Montserrado to secure their qualification to the 2023 National Third Division Playoffs. Liberia’s under-17 duo of Jonathan Freeman and Saah Moses were exceptional in their side’s hard-fought win. The two youngsters put up a brilliant performance for Discoveries Football Club on Sunday in their 6-4 victory over Congress FC at the Tusa Sports Pitch. The duo both scored in the match to help the Johnsonville Sub-committee league champions secure their place in the regional playoff. Freeman scored a hat trick, while Saah Moses scored a brace as well.
Discoveries Football Club will now meet Philadelphia Lone Star on Wednesday in the semi-finals of the Winners’ category, while in the other pairing, Pepper FC will face Brewerville United FC. According to the Montserrado County Sub-Association, the winners from the two semi-finals will meet in the final to determine the champion of Montserrado, while the winner of the loser category will join the four semi-finalists from the winner category to represent Montserrado in the national playoff that will take place in Monrovia.
The national third division playoff will kick-off in Monrovia on May 25th-June 11th with 32 teams challenging. Thirty-two (32) teams have been divided into eight groups of four teams for a round-robin in the national playoff. The top two teams from Group A-H will advance to the knockout stage according to the organizers. “In the knockout stage, the group eight winners will play the runners to determine the quarterfinalists,” the organizers stated. “The finalists and winner of the third-place play-off will automatically qualify for the second division,” a release from the Liberia Football Association National Third Division disclosed.