Monrovia — Liberia U-17 Assistant Coach Theophilus Geekor has praised the Young Lone Star’s fighting spirit following a hard-fought 1–1 draw against regional powerhouse Mali in their opening match of the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone A U-17 Tournament.
By Christopher C. Walker | [email protected]
The Liberian side delivered an impressive performance, holding the Malians through a goalless first half before breaking the deadlock in the second half via a brilliant free-kick from Prince Smith.
However, Liberia’s hopes of a major upset were dashed when Mali snatched an equalizer in the 88th minute.
Speaking in a post-match interview, Geekor described the encounter as a grueling test, noting that the technical team had specifically prepared the squad to counter Mali’s physical approach and reliance on long balls from the wings.
“It was a good game a very difficult game,” Geekor said. “Our mindset was to take the lead, protect it, and if possible, extend our advantage.
That strategy worked for us for most of the match.”
Admitting that conceding so close to the final whistle was frustrating, Geekor nevertheless commended his players and technical staff for their resilience against a side with a strong continental pedigree.
“When you work so hard, you feel you deserve the win, so naturally I’m a little downhearted,” he conceded. “But I have to give credit to the team and the technical staff. We were considered the underdogs coming in, but we told the boys we had to change the narrative. We fought hard because we believed in ourselves.”
Geekor added that the coaching staff will review the second-half performance and analyze whether tactical substitutions contributed to the late defensive lapse.
Ministry of Youth and Sports Applauds Team
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) has commended the Young Lone Star for securing a valuable point in their WAFU Zone A opener, describing their performance as a display of immense determination and discipline.
In a public statement, the Ministry lauded the players and technical staff for standing toe-to-toe with one of the region’s footballing giants and urged them to maintain their focus as they pursue qualification for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Liberia will continue its group-stage campaign against Guinea on September 11, before taking on Guinea-Bissau on September 14.
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