Monrovia — Liberia’s U-17 football team has missed out on qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U-17 tournament after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Guinea in the third-place playoff of the WAFU Zone A U-17 Championship on Sunday in Dakar, Senegal.
By: Christopher C. Walker, [email protected]
The defeat ended Liberia’s hopes of securing the final qualification ticket from the regional tournament, despite the Junior Lone Star having defeated Guinea earlier in the competition.
Liberia and Guinea entered the decisive encounter at the Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium knowing that victory would secure the final WAFU Zone A ticket to the continental showcase.
The Junior Lone Star reached the playoff after a narrow 2-1 defeat to The Gambia in the semi-finals, while Guinea was eliminated by defending champions Senegal in a 3-0 decision.
Liberia and Guinea played out a goalless first half, leaving the high-stakes match finely balanced at the interval.
However, the Junior Lone Star struggled to maintain their tactical discipline after the restart.
Guinea capitalized on a lapse of concentration in the Liberian defense to score twice and secure the final qualification spot.
The result was a bitter blow for Liberia, who had defeated Guinea 2-1 during the group stage.
That earlier victory helped the Junior Lone Star top their group with four points, following an impressive 1-1 draw against Mali in their opening match.
Their semi-final performance against The Gambia ultimately proved critical in their qualification journey.
The Gambians built a two-goal lead before Liberia pulled one back late, though the team was unable to complete the comeback.
Senegal, Gambia Secure AFCON Places
Senegal and The Gambia secured the regional tournament’s two automatic qualification spots by reaching the final.
Senegal earned its place with a commanding 3-0 victory over Guinea, while The Gambia edged past Liberia to set up an all-neighboring final. Senegal enters the continental tournament as the reigning U-17 AFCON champion.
Liberia, the setback brings an end to a promising campaign that had raised hopes of a historic first-ever qualification for the U-17 AFCON.
The Junior Lone Star will now return to Monrovia without a tournament ticket, turning their focus toward future youth development after falling just short of the main stage.
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