The semifinals of Liberia's biggest sporting event, the National County Sports Meet (NCSM), will be played Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, following a month of intense competition across the country.
All four semifinal matchups--two in football and two in kickball--will be decided in a single day.
Football: Nimba Faces Margibi in Blockbuster Clash
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In football, record six-time champions Nimba County will take on 2012 champions Margibi County at 5 p.m., in what is expected to be the marquee fixture of the day.
Nimba advanced after topping Group A with seven points, sealing first place with a 1-0 win over Grand Cape Mount on Saturday. James Tarpeh scored the match winner.
Nimba coach Mamadee Sheriff, who drew backlash for referring to Grand Cape Mount as a "little county" after the match, later issued an apology.
"I sincerely apologize to the people of Grand Cape Mount County," Sheriff said. "My statement was misinterpreted, and I take full responsibility. I have great respect for every county and for the unity this competition is meant to promote."
Margibi progressed under controversial circumstances after a goalless draw with Grand Kru County that guaranteed both teams a place in the semifinals.
The match ended 0-0 after 90 minutes without a single shot on or off target, and neither goalkeeper made a save--fueling public criticism and reviving debate over the decision to stage the quarterfinals in a group format rather than the traditional straight knockout system.
The result also rendered the final Group B fixture between Montserrado and Grand Bassa irrelevant.
Nimba and Margibi previously played to a 1-1 draw in the group stage, setting up a decisive rematch for a place in the final.
Grand Kru Meets Cape Mount in Late Semifinal
The second football semifinal, scheduled for 7 p.m., will see Grand Kru face Grand Cape Mount, two of the tournament's most decorated counties.
Cape Mount--champions in 1969 and 2013--reached the quarterfinals after winning a protest stemming from a Dec. 21, 2025 Group C match against Lofa County. Lofa initially defeated Cape Mount 3-1, but Cape Mount challenged the result, alleging Lofa illegally fielded Jeremiah Johnson and Francis Doe. Tournament organizers upheld the protest, allowing Cape Mount to advance.
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A subsequent protest filed by River Gee County against Cape Mount was dismissed, clearing the way for the "Kpasa Jama Boys" to finish second in the group behind Nimba.
Cape Mount already defeated Grand Kru during the quarterfinal group stage and will be aiming to repeat that performance against the tournament's second-most successful county, which has five titles.
Kickball Opens Semifinal Day
Kickball will open Wednesday's program, with Margibi vs. Grand Kru set for 2 p.m., followed by Nimba vs. Grand Cape Mount at 3 p.m.
Notably, all four semifinal counties remain alive in both football and kickball--a rare achievement in NCSM history--guaranteeing that at least one of them will lift a trophy this season.
The NCSM finals will be played Sunday, Jan. 17, at the SKD Sports Complex.
