MONROVIA – Watanga FC and Liberia U-20 striker Emmanuel Sieh, along with Abdullai Yaya Bility of Heaven Eleven, headline the nominees for the Liberia Football Association (LFA) First Division Men’s Player of the Year award.
The 2024 LFA Awards Committee, chaired by Ambassador Christopher Hayes Onanuga, announced the nominees on Tuesday. Joining Sieh and Bility on the shortlist are Clement Zubah and Nush Zohn of Mighty Barrolle, and Ishmael Doumbouya of Bea Mountain.
Bility, a standout midfielder, played a crucial role in Heaven Eleven’s fifth-place finish last season. He contributed to 25 goals, scoring 13 and assisting 12 in 22 matches—accounting for 40% of the team’s 65 goals.
Sieh, in his debut season in the First Division, was equally impressive. The 18-year-old striker scored 18 goals and provided six assists in 19 games, helping Watanga FC clinch the First Division title. He was named Watanga’s Player of the Season and received additional accolades, including the MRU U-17 Tournament Top Goal Scorer and MVP awards, as well as the MRU U-20 Tournament Top Goal Scorer award.
Mighty Barrolle striker Clement Zubah, who has already secured the Golden Boot award for his league-high 23 goals, is another strong contender. Zubah was supported by teammate Nush Zohn, who scored 15 goals last season before transferring to Watanga.
Ishmael Doumbouya, a Sierra Leonean striker for Bea Mountain, returns as a nominee after finishing second in the MVP race two seasons ago while playing for LISCR FC. He netted 21 goals last season.
The MVP winner will receive a cash prize and an SUV. Unlike previous years, there will be no public voting; instead, the award will be decided by votes from coaches (40%), team captains (40%), and accredited journalists (20%).
Women’s MVP and Other Awards
Four players have been nominated for the 2023-24 LFA Women’s MVP award: Erica Parson of Shaita Angels, Determine Girls striker Mabinty Camara, Makasian Siryon of Ravia Angels, and Determine Girls and Gambian midfielder Mbassey Darboe.
In the Best First Division Coach category, nominees include Kelvin Sebwe, who led Invincible Eleven (IE) to the League Cup final and ensured the team avoided relegation; Dominic Savice, who guided Paynesville FC to a League Cup victory and achieved three consecutive wins in the CAF Confederation Cup; and Cooper Sannah, who won the league with Watanga FC.
The Division’s Best Defender nominees are Natus Swen (Watanga), Santigie Koroma (LISCR FC), Eugene Swen (Paynesville), and Alexander Curtis (Watanga).
New Categories
This year introduces a Best Male and Female Foreign Player award. Nominees for the male category are Sierra Leoneans Ishmael Doumbouya (Bea Mountain), Yusuf Kargbo (Heaven Eleven), and Santigie Koroma (LISCR FC). For the female category, nominees include Gambian midfielder Mbassey Darboe (Determine Girls), Ghanaian Mary Nunoe (Shaita Angels), and Guinean striker Mabinty Camara (Determine Girls).
Another new category is the Best Young Player award, with nominees for the male category being Clement Zubah, Jonathon Freeman (Discoveries), and Emmanuel Sieh. The female nominees are Louise Brown, Jessica Quachie, and Makasian Siryon from Determine Girls, Real Mudja, and Ravia Angels, respectively.
Awards for Fair Play, Best Goalkeepers, and Top Goal Scorers will be determined based on statistical performance, while media categories, including Photojournalist of the Year and Journalist of the Year, will be decided by a panel. Referee awards will follow a similar process.
The LFA Awards ceremony is set for December 7 at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
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