Monrovia – The National Under-17 football team of Liberia showcased their best performance in the Mano River Youth Under-17 Peace Cup held in Liberia against Sierra Leone. The young Liberian team dominated the tournament from match day one to match four, securing victories in all four games against Sierra Leone and ultimately being crowned champions of the MRU Men’s U-17 Peace Cup 2023.
By: Christopher C.Walker [email protected] 0777898224/0886723076
Originally intended to feature three countries – host Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone – the cup became a platform for rejuvenating the country’s team spirit following the senior national team’s six defeats in seven games.
In the opening match on December 28, the Liberia National Under-17 football team delighted Liberians by securing a comfortable victory over Sierra Leone in the Mano River Youth Peace Cup. The initial plan for a three-country tournament was disrupted when Guinea withdrew at the eleventh hour, leaving Liberia and Sierra Leone as the two participants.
The tournament kicked off at the Tusa Field in Gardnersville with both teams displaying spectacular football. Liberia, led by Captain Jonathan Freeman, took control of the game after ten minutes, entertaining fans with exceptional dribbling, passing, and team performance. Fallah Johnson Jr. and Emmanuel Sieh scored to give Liberia a 2-0 lead, with Sierra Leone pulling one back through a Justin Joe-Joe own goal, ending the first half 2-1 in favor of Liberia.
After the break, Liberia continued their dominance, securing a 3-1 lead with Jerius Holmes’ header. Emmanuel Sieh completed his brace with a thunderous strike, making it 4-1. Sierra Leone managed to score another goal, but Liberia sealed the victory with goals from Jerius Holmes and Kindness Cole, concluding the match 6-2 in Liberia’s favor.
In the second match, Liberia came from two goals down in the first half to secure a hard-fought 3-2 win at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium. Emmanuel Sieh, coming off the bench, scored a brace, while Prince Martor contributed a goal for Liberia.
On match day three, Liberia defeated Sierra Leone for the third time in the cup with a 3-2 scoreline, thanks to Emmanuel Sieh’s brace and Alhaji Samukai’s lone goal.
In the final match, Liberia triumphed 2-0 against Sierra Leone, with goals from Kindness Cole and Sam Sumo in the second half.
The Mano River Union Men’s Under-17 Peace Cup, held from December 27-31 in Monrovia, concluded with several players receiving individual awards. Liberia’s goalkeeper, Onwsimus Beyan, was awarded the Best Goalkeeper, while Alhaji Samukai received the “Man Of The Match” award in the game between Liberia U-17 and Sierra Leone U-17. Emmanuel Sieh, the standout player, earned double awards as the Highest Goal Scorer and Most Valuable Player (MVP), scoring six goals in four matches.
Despite recent struggles for the senior national team, the young Lone Star team, coached by Ansumana Keita, brought joy to Liberian faces, achieving success that had eluded the senior team for some time.
