Barrolle, IE Go
To War Sunday
By Julu M. Johnson,Jr.
For the third time this season, the
giants of Liberian soccer are taking on each other at the Antoinette
Tubman Stadium (ATS) on Lynch Street in Monrovia.
As the second phase of the 2004
National Football season gets in its crucial stage, Mighty Barrolle
and Invincible Eleven (IE) will clash in the premier division.
Twice they have met before this season.
Crowd violence, allegedly from Barrolle s fans, caused the first
match to be abandoned before IE carried the three points.
Later, Barrolle, which was dissatisfied
over the Liberia s Football Association (LFA) decision to award the
three points to their rivals, revenged with post-match penalties
victory over IE in the first phase of the knockout, even though the
Rollers did not go far in the tournament.
With the score now standing at one to one,
it s time that the real winner be known this year between both
sides. Be it Barrolle or IE, only the final whistle will decide.
The argument began ever since the fixture was
drawn; around street corners, in cane juice shops, at market places
and in even taxes and buses.
Spectators and fans must have taken too long to
wait for this day, but it has come very nearer that it would be
Sunday, September 12, 2004.
Barrolle, the Rollers or the Red Boys, must be
boosting the finest collection of players and talents in Solomon
Grimes, Abu Sando, Isaac Mensah Nuzohn Kulala, Morris Bayoh and the
ever green Varmah Kpoto, most of whom are regular call-ups to the
national team Lone Star, but when meeting IE, the story is not
always the same.
The fact is that IE is a team, although being a
club not trouble free, that has a never say die attitude. No matter
what condition it would find itself in, the Yellow Boys take a match
against Barrolle very serious.
At the same time, the match on Sunday will be the first
test and welcome for the new IE president Isaac Nyenabo, who is yet
to be officially inducted.
Other hand, with his Vice President Josiah Nimely
Johnson (JNJ) usually sitting by his side in his red collar t-shirt,
Barrolle president Lewis Browne has already assembled a good team
that he always beats his chest for. Thanks to the appointment of
club veteran David Nimely.
Meanwhile, the match shouldn't t only be seen as the
battle of two arch-rivals, but the thing up for grab is the three
points. With two consecutive wins in the second phase, Barrolle is
way above IE.
Therefore, the Yellow Boys are now pushed to the wall
to do or die otherwise the Rollers will be few steps from lifting
the league title. To stop Barrolle from taking a wider lead and
perhaps the league crown, coach Raymond Morton must apply all
knowledge and techniques necessary in preventing Barrolle from doing
arm and upset.
Morton has arguably placed his trust in skipper Eric Lee
Wright, sparkling defender Bill Paytoe, magical midfielder George
Boe, terrible runner Emmanuel Gbamy alias Diaz and oldies but
goodies Tony Bracewell.
Be it as it may, talking cannot do it all. The die is cast
and there is no turning back as the soccer gods have already
decided. So, the match on Sunday would only be for doubters to see
for themselves and believe.
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