Africa-Press – Liberia. Watanga FC delivered a commanding statement in the race for the Liberia Football Association (LFA) First Division title on Tuesday, defeating rivals Bea Mountain FC 4-2 in a six-goal thriller at the SKD Practice Pitch.
In a match widely billed as a potential title decider, Watanga combined clinical finishing and late game composure to overcome a spirited Bea Mountain comeback, moving the “Soldiers” closer to what could be their third league title in four years.
The Breakdown
The buildup lived up to the hype, with fans filling the stands of the SKD Annex early as tension gripped the atmosphere.
Watanga drew first blood in the 30th minute when Darius Garmondeh opened the scoring.
Garmondeh reacted quickest to tap home from close range after Bea Mountain goalkeeper Emil Djata spilled an initial effort from Varney B. Varney.
The pressure on the “Gold Boys” mounted, and a costly defensive lapse in the 43rd minute proved decisive.
Djata’s attempt to play out from the back turned into a nightmare as his pass was intercepted, allowing Leo Zinneh to capitalize and calmly slot the ball into an empty net to make it 2-0 before the interval.
Despite an injection of urgency from Bea Mountain in the second half, Watanga struck again against the run of play. In the 58th minute, Garmondeh completed his brace, heading home after excellent wing-play by Varney to stretch the lead to 3-0.
The Fightback
However, the Grand Cape Mount County outfit refused to fold. The comeback began in the 72nd minute when Nuch Zohn converted a composed penalty after Ralph Weah was upended in the box. Momentum shifted further in the 80th minute when Emmanuel Karblee rose highest to head home from a corner, narrowing the deficit to 3-2 and silencing the Watanga fans.
Bea Mountain pushed relentlessly for an equalizer in the closing stages, forcing Watanga goalkeeper Teddy Kollie into series of saves, while defender Ezekiel Leno produced a goal-saving block to preserve the slim lead.
Just as the tension reached a breaking point, Watanga delivered the knockout blow. Deep into stoppage time, Varney B. Varney rose above the defense to loop a header into the net, sealing the 4-2 victory.
The goal sparked wild celebrations, though Varney earned a yellow card for removing his shirt in the process.
Title Race Implication
The result sees Watanga climb to 48 points at the summit of the table, opening a five-point gap with a game in hand.
For Bea Mountain, who remain on 42 points, the defeat marks a significant setback and the first loss for Turkish head coach Ibrahim Cezayir since he took charge at the start of the second phase.
Coach’s Corner
Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, a jubilant Watanga head coach Theophilus Geekor hailed the performance but remained cautious about the road ahead.
“This win was an important one for us today. Beating a team like Bea Mountain has certainly taken us closer to the championship, but our work is far from over,” Geekor said.
“We cannot afford to relax. To us, winning every single match is important if we want to reach our goal.”
With only a handful of matches remaining, Watanga has not only tightened their grip on the title they have sent a clear message to the rest of the league that the championship is now theirs to lose.
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