Liberty Professionals were sunday held to a pulsating 1-1 draw by a determined and battling King Faisal at the Carl Reindorf Park, Dansoman.

Battling Faisal scored first in the 26 minutes against the run of play before Nabi Capi Soumah scored his fourth goal of the season to pull Liberty even. He has now scored in every game in has played in, Hasaacas, Hearts and King Faisal.

As expected Liberty looking to grab 3 points started the stronger side with Fode Sylla and Nabi Soumah leading the line in an unchanged side from the one that won away against defending league champions Accra Hearts of oak.

With Dansoman pitch having been rendered how slippery due to the heavy rains over night, both sides were cautious in their tackles and ball in to their back line as they could veer off and provide advantage for the other side.

Liberty first real threat at goal came in the 13th minute. Moro Zakari rose above the Faisal defence to nod in a Ghandi Kassenu freekick awarded the Dansoman side after Awudu Nafiu had fouled Sylla who was proving difficult to tame. He was using his physique and strength and Skill to great effect.

Faisal had come with a well rehearsed strategy to strangle the life out of the home side had world Youth Cup winning defender and strongman Daniel Addo sitting deep in front of the back two earned his side the first yellow with a dangerous lunge into Richard Boateng.

Liberty were still dominating but failing to let it count and Faisal doing the simple things right and turning on the pressure when they had the game under their control.

Thrice in the space 4 minutes, Moro Zakari and Nabi Soumah had chances to put Liberty in the lead but failed to take advantage. Moro standing unchallenged in the box lost concentration and toe-poked the ball rather than look to the space on his right to pass ball in for a simple finish.

Soumah’s opportunity was from a quick counterattack and Richard Boateng did brilliantly by setting him up with a deft touch at the edge of the box but his shot was weak and lacked direction.

Faisal were barely getting a look in and much against the run of play Daniel muscled his way through the Liberty midfield, prince Arkoh was on hand to sneak a ball in to Ofosu Mickey who beat Akwasi Acheampong at the near post for Kumasi side goal.
Relief on the bench and on the face of Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Odotei and shouts of “Allahu Akbar” from President Alhaji Abdul Karim Grunsah with hands stretched towards the heavens said it all.

But that joy should not have lasted long as Fode Sylla was mowed down from behind by Nafiu but the referee blatantly refused to penalize Faisal.

Liberty were forced into their first change as Guinean striker Fode Sylla was stretchered off and was replaced by Latif Salifu on the stroke of half time and the substitute was quick to make an impression.

With is deceptive pace he beat Nafiu to the ball on the edge of the box dropped a shoulder but with space squeezed out he cut back to Ghandi Kassenu who rammed his shot under the cross bar and back into play to hand the advantage to Faisal going into the break.

Back from the break, Liberty continued to dominate but still couldn’t find the break through until the 58th minute when Nabi Soumah finished off at the near post to pull his side even. Ghandi had drifted to the left and his ball lofted into the area dropped off Moro Zakari for Soumah to tap home.

Faisal brought on Thomas Agbeverdor and Ebo Andoh to help them hold the midfield and play on the counter.

Liberty missed several chances and if Faisal survived with a poor it is more to the discredit of the front men and the indecision of the men running at them from the middle of the park.

LIBERTY: Akwasi ACHEAMPONG; David KABU, Richard KISSI, Daniel GYAMFI, David ADDO; Ghandi KASSENU, Isaac DONKOR, Richard BOATENG (khalif ALHASSAN), Moro ZAKARI (Francis MORTON; Fode Moussa SYLLA (SALIFU), Nabi Capi SOUMAH.