BYC II Dreams Big

Barrack Young Controllers (BYCII) Coach Robert Lartey, has described the club’s participation in the CAF Confederation Cup as a dream -come- through for him, but added he looks forward to reaching the peak. BYCII defeated their counterpart from Sierra Leone FC Johansen 1-0 on Sunday, February 17, 2013 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia.

Lartey said his dream has been to take a Liberian team to continental competitions, which seems to be gradually on folding, “But we have a lot to do,” he told reporters on Sunday at the ATS in Monrovia.

“Though the win puts us in the driver’s seat for now, but it has not spelt qualification to the next round so in Freetown, we are going to fight for a favorable result and we trust and believe in ourselves that we can make it against Johansen in their home”, said a rather confident Coach Lartey.

Striker George Dauda, who fueled the match with much inspiration from start to finish, tormenting the defense of FC Johansen, parted ways with his missed chances from the first half up to just two minutes to reach full 90 minutes when he hit the back of the net for BYC II from the penalty spot.

The former Tony FC team and also feeder side of the top flight club BYC will have to avoid defeat in the return leg in Freetown on Sunday Match 3, 2013 if they are to stand any chance of progressing to next stage of the competition. He said the return leg will be highly difficult, but assured supporters of BYCII and football fans in Liberia that his side stands a chance of making it to the next round.

Lartey’s 4-4-2 attacking system was heavily contested by FC Johansen, with a counter 5-3-2 defensive system thus, making it difficult for the host side to easily break through the opponents during the play by play.

FC Johansen Head-Coach John Keister, who is also Manager of Sierra Leone’s home-based Senior National Football team, the Leone Star, expressed optimism that his boys can pool the trigger in Freetown.

“You saw the way we played; we created some brilliant chances, but we could not just score; we held the match to the 88 minutes before conceding the penalty, but we are not deter; we will still turn the page,” Keister added.

BYC II will need to defend their 1-0 victory here by avoiding a defeat in Freetown. A draw with any number of goals could mean qualification for the Liberian FA Cup Champions.