Gambia Coach Tapha Manneh of LISCR FC in Liberia has moved even closer to lifting the Liberian title after massively benefitting from a point deduction decision against two of his opponents FC Fassel and Monrovia Club Breweries. Manneh’s LISCR FC now tops the league and needs just two points from their remaining last two matches to take the title.
FC Fassel and Monrovia Club Breweries both lost l point for fielding illegal players;
FC Fassel was just few steps away from clinching their first ever championship, when points were deducted from them and Monrovia Club Breweries.
According to an official communication, 12 points were deducted from FC Fassel after two separate protests were filed by LISCR FC against the Soccer Missionaries and one against Monrovia Club Breweries for fielding illegal players.
A complaint was filed against FC Fassel for fielding player Jeremy G. Saygbe in FC Fassel’s matches against Mighty Barrolle and Jubilee FC on May 31 and June 19 respectively; matches that the player should have missed thus rendering him as an illegal player.
According to the finding from the committee, player Saygbe was shown a red card in their match against Watanga FC on April 14, 2017 and missed two games instead of three.
“The committee recommends that the result of the match (Barrolle vs. FC Fassel) be reversed as follow: Barrolle 2-0 Fassel; and the result of the match (Jubilee vs. FC Fassel) also be reversed as follow: Jubilee 2-0 Fassel,” the committee’s ruling states.
In the second protest, FC Fassel was found guilty after it was established by the committee that midfielder John Jaysay was fielded against Watanga FC both at home and away on March 22 and April 14 respectively.
The committee therefore recommended that the results of the two matches also be reversed 2-0 against Fassel for both home and away.
Midfielder Jaysay, according to the finding, was shown yellow cards in three matches against MC Breweries, LPRC Oilers, and Nimba United, therefore resulting in a one match ban in keeping with Chapter 20, Article 27, Section 1.0 of the LFA statute.
Chapter 20, Article 26, Section 1.0 states that Any player who shall receive yellow card in three different matches shall be banned from one (1) match for his club.
Third place Monrovia Club Breweries was also found guilty of similar offense for featuring player Marvin Blapoh against LISCR FC on June 26, 2017, having received three yellow cards against Mighty Barrolle, Keitrace and ELWA United.
“The committee recommends that Monrovia Club Breweries forfeits the match to LISCR with three points, two goals.”
The match between LISCR and Breweries ended 1-1; therefore additional two points have been added to Coach Tapha Manneh’s side, summing it to 40 points out of 20 matches.
Due to the ruling of the protest, there have been a change of positions on the league table with LISCR FC on top and needing just two points from their last two matches.
Barrack Young Controllers is now seated second on goal difference — leveled on points with MC Breweries — 35 points apiece, while Watanga FC have moved four places from their previous 8th place position.
FC Fassel is now 5th on the table-leveled on points with Nimba United-with 31 points, but top on goal difference, while Jubilee moved to 6th place, three points above Keitrace. Mighty Barrolle is now five points above the relegation zone.
However, FC Fassel still has a chance to file in an appeal to the grievance and ethics committee.
Source: Anthony Kokoi/ Liberian Observer Online
