Factors That Led to LISCR FC Defeat

Liberia’s premiership holder LISCR FC on Sunday went down in the first leg of the CAF Champions league preliminary fixture against Ghanaian side Berekum Chelsea 2-0 in Monrovia.

The club started its preparation during the final quarter of last year under championship coach Franck Jericho Nagbe, who requested the club boss Mustapha Raji to secure the services of some players. Raji bought those players, requested for by coach Nagbe to enable the club makes progressive in the CAF Champion league and possibly retains the Liberian premiership title.

Players brought onboard include: defensive Gideon Williams, Puka Roberts from Watanga FC; Joshua Morris formerly of LPRC Oilers; NPA previous midfielder Alexander Darbge and forward Yamie Yancy, M.C Breweries skipper Michael Macaulay and right-backer Trokon Zeon from Invincible Eleven. Strikers James Richardson and Alex Hilton were promoted from Garnerville FC, the feeler side of LISCR FC.

The Coach Nagbe squad was lastly heightened by the arrival of Liberia’s premiership Golden Boot possessor Vatali Sie and defender Alvin Dixon, who were released from Hapoel Nazareth Illit in the Israeli national league. The late departure of the coach from the club before the huge encounter contributed a lot to the team’s defeat.

The players were used to his style of coaching, motivation, and starting line-up. But the newly appointed boss Vaivia Coach George has to develop a new partnership and impart his game approach modality into the players.

The starting of Lone Star former shot stopper Sunday Seah in goal was another factor. Sunday Seah has been watching the club matches from the bench in recent times, and giving him that slot on Sunday was a risk, which worked against LISCR FC.

The team’s first choice striker James Richardson, who netted two goals against I.E. during its last premiership game nearly two weeks ago started from the bench. Richardson has been a regular starter for the club under Coach Jericho Nagbe since he arrived from Garnerville FC as top scorer.

The Liberian side golden boot holder Vatali Sie scoring form has been disappointing in recent times, netting one goal for his side in three matches. He failed to score against Nigeria. Sie’s loan deal in Israel was thrashed by Hapoel Nazareth Illit for failing to score a goal for the club during the Israeli league first phase.

The club was seen on Saturday evening doing speed drills less than 24 hours before the clash with Nigeria last week, and the players were involved in less than 2 meter trickles for the ball on Saturday evening.