How Vintage Chelsea Drubbed Disjointed LISCR


By Wleh Bedell

A tactically disciplined Berekum Chelsea drubbed a desperate but somewhat disjointed LISCR in a first round first leg encounter on Sunday, February 19, at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS).

Both sides making their debut appearance in Africa’s blue ribbon competition entered the fray with much promise as they began to pick the pocket of each other defense. The Ghanaians under Dutch Coach Hans Van Der Plyum started on a somewhat high –defensive line cum cautious note with their gangling front man Mohammed Musa making runs in the final third. But, it was LISCR who could have opened the account after the Benin youth international Garel Sosa headed in a free manner over the bar a set piece from the right channel. Sosa stood in the midst of the white side defense to head the ball over the bar from less than five meters in the box to send the stadium in frenzy after 16 minutes.

As the first half progressed the Ghanaians started to get into the game with their short crisp passing as they missed two glaring chances. Sosa would later come out for the dreadlocked Joshua Morris as Moroccan referee Hechin put the first half to bed.

In the second half, Chelsea became more adventurous as they brought on a very menacing Prince Papa Arko for the big man Mohammed Musa as they gradually began to dictate the rhythm of the contest. But, against the run of play, Abel Horton nearly put LISCR in the lead as his effort landed on the wood work as the opponents’ defense looked unperturbed. The visitors somewhat incessant onslaught however paid off in the 58th minute, courtesy of erratic goalkeeping from a virtually over weight Sunday Seah who failed to save an easy effort from Eric Hang Many who chanced his luck to put Chelsea noses in front.

Upon conceding the cheeky goal, LISCR players looked dejected as they felt let down by their leader and Captain Sunday Seah whose timing and distribution on the day looked poor. The LISCR back four of Daniel Woto, Trokon Zeon, Alvin Dixon and Emmanuel Tarpeh did plenty of stoppage with the latter two showing much concentration to contain the opponents attacking machinery.

Adolphus Blamo and his holding midfield partner Gideon Williams played on top each other as the wide men Abel Horton and Joshua Morris made sporadic runs with the former looking more promising. But, the front two of Vitalise Sieh and Mohammed Varney looked switched off as they lacked supply with Sieh only showing promise by coming deep from the hole in attack to give a plethora of flick-on.

But, while LISCR were striving to get back on equal pecking the Ghanaian champions got the tally increaser through substitute Prince Papa Darko after 70 minutes to dash LISCR’s hope. The goal actually came after Adolphus Blamo who had had an impressive game in terms of his neat build up play and tackling abandoned his position to go deep infield on the right side of midfield. He was then disposed with Chelsea switching from defense to attack to get the goal.

They then began to draw rings round the hosts with their fluid passing style which made LISCR ordinary. The Ghanaian side at times pulled together ten passes to the delight of the home crowd who in the end felt their side was taught a dangerous lesson. Chelsea tightened the spaces and when they conceded possession they put their opponents under immediate pressure.

Changes in personnel then began to take place with a very lively James Richardson coming on for Abel Horton while a rather quiet Emmet Wleh was introduced for Vitalise Sieh, but the score line remained the same as the visitors cruised to victory.
With this LISCR has a mountain to climb in the second leg on March 4, in Accra, as they will need an emphatic 3-0 win to go through in meeting Raja Casablanca of Morocco who took a bye for the second round.

Tactically, LISCR had a series of problems in the match. They gave the ball away cheaply and did not threaten the opponents from open play except from set pieces where they missed two chances from Sosa and Horton. They also lacked penetration and patience as far as possession or keeping the ball is concerned and also lacked the element of surprise. Ghana’s third choice goalkeeper at the recent African Nations Cup, Ernest Sowah who stood in goal for the visitors was on a virtual holiday as he was untested. But, LISCR’s major undoing in the tie was that they lacked fitness. They switched off or ran out of steam as the match progressed especially during the second stanza. Play down the wings was also neglected as their full back rarely ventured forward. And, while Sunday Seah was a flop their defeat cannot all be attributed to his poor form as the team on the day did not just click.

But, there are some promises as far as the defeat is concerned. It shows that the defensive duo of Tarpeh and Dixon are a solid partnership and are stars of the future. Blamo and Williams showed some promise except that Blamo was a bit over enthusiastic, Horton showed purpose and is never afraid of rampaging upfront while Richardson proved that he is a the team’s new boy-wonder. His pace, desire and movement was a handful except that he had low quality supply of passes. As a team they showed plenty of individual brilliance and some promising display but their lack of fitness had a toll on them and cost them dearly.

The team however had some problems in coming to the match. Firstly, they won the championship based on just one phase which means they were not really tested and such competition did not get the best out of the teams least one speaks of the champions, Secondly, they heavily invested in the transfer market, buying more than ten players and they did not gel as a unit. In fact, some of the players bought were termed surplus to requirement as they were not used. The likes of Pokar Roberts and George Dargbah and Yamie Yancy were not given the chance which questions such transfers.

Also, they looked a bit game rusty as there were just three games played in the new season before Chelsea came to town while the Ghanaian league is deep in the season and the players there are fully fit, tested and organized.

To make matter worse, the team’s Coach Frank Jericho Nagbe threw in the tower some nine days to the contest making Vava George to serve as care taker Coach. Sources say one major reason leading to Jericho’s resignation was that the team manager Swen Bedell refused to adhere to his orders that he wanted only 18 players to move to camp in Kakata for the melee against Chelsea. The TM instead called on all registered players to move to camp which infuriated Jericho. Vava thus had little time to instill his philosophy into the team and there was some psychological problem as the disaster came to the fore.

Kudos must however go to the authorities of LISCR for venturing into the very expensive issue of partaking into the champions’ league. Credit must go to the president Mustapah Raji and co for being brave to get into the competition which involves very huge financial burden.

Such match raised the profile of the club and Liberian football in general and while such venture is very enormous in terms of finance, our clubs must be encouraged to partake as they will learn a whole lot.

Finally, the defeat to LISCR shows the quality of our league is low and there is a need for more improvement. The bar needs to be raised. Technicians from other parts of Africa and perhaps the world must be brought on board. The clubs need proper organization and in all there is a need for money to be put in the league to motivate clubs and make the football here more competitive.