LONE STAR ESCAPE CRASH ON AIR CôTE D’IVOIRE -DEPART AFTER 12 HOURS

Monrovia – Liberia’s national team’s departure from the Roberts International Airport to Dakar, Senegal was delayed for 12 hours due to what authorities of Ivorian company Air Côte D’Ivoire term as a “technical fault.”

The local based national team was due to depart the country for Senegal to honor their second-leg African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier following their 1-0 win, on Sunday, July 28.

According to LFA Communications Director, Danesius Marteh, the team made of local-based players, was due to travel by Air Côte D’Ivoire.

Marteh stated that “the team was due to depart Monrovia by 8:50 Wednesday morning but were informed by the pilot that he could not take off.

The LFA Communications boss further narrated that it was his and the national team’s first time to face such experience.

“It is the first time, in my traveling history that a plane accelerates to take-off but can’t leave the runway,” Marten said in the Sports Writers Association of Liberia Facebook chatroom. 

“We are at the airport awaiting news from the airline.”

Speaking to FrontPageAfrica from the RIA, Marteh said the players and technical staff were upset about the situation terming it “a serious embarrassment and distraction to them because the return leg is on Saturday.”

The team had to wait at the Roberts International Airport from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm (12 hours) for another flight to take them from Liberia to Senegal.

Marteh wrote at 8:45 PM, “The national team delegation traveling to Dakar, Senegal will finally leave today (is about to take-off by the time of this post) after hours of delays due to “mechanical faults”. We thank you for your concerns and prayers. And please continue to pray for safe arrival. You will subsequently be updated on arrival. Thank you.”

LFA President Mustapha Raji said they regret the situation but said it was beyond the control of the LFA.

He said in addition to the delegation traveling per dime, the LFA gave the players and others extra cash.

Liberia is taking a delegation of 34 men to Dakar, Senegal.

The delegation is headed by LFA Executive Committee member Henry Boyd Flomo and includes Deputy Sports Minister Audrian Smith-Forbes, Assistant Sports Minister James Toe, NPA Sports Association President Austin Dennis, Fifa-badged referee Hassan Corneh and LFA Communications Director Danesius Marteh.

Others are head coach Thomas Kojo, deputy coach Samuel Chebli, trainer George Gebro, goalkeeping coach Eric Glassco, physiotherapist Boakai Abu Kamara, masseur Sampson Zoegbeh and kitmen Tommy Johnson and Daniel Hodge.

Administrative manager Sebastian Collins left for Dakar immediately after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to secure an ideal accommodation and other match-related activities.

Dissolved Barrack Young Controllers (BYC) defender Prince Jetoh is the only addition to the squad, replacing LISCR FC defender Dirkir Glay, who picked-up an injury after 15 minutes at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS), where the first leg was played.

Jetoh has three caps, having made his debut in a 1-0 win over Lesotho in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on 18 May 2014 at the ATS.

Senegal will take on Liberia at the Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium in Dakar at 17:00GMT on Saturday, August 3.

The team arrived by 1 a.m. Thursday.

Here is the updated squad

Goalkeepers: Prince Wlame (LPRC Oilers), Tommy Songo (LISCR FC) and Alpha Jalloh (BYC)

Defenders: Alvin Maccornel and Nuwo Johnson (LPRC Oilers); Daniel Woto and Prince Jetoh (BYC); Kemoh Kamara (LISCR FC)

Midfielders: Armah Vaikainah, Sam Jackson and Edward Ledlum (LISCR FC); Isaac Pupo (Watanga FC), Abdulai Yaya Bility (BYC), Farsedu Logan (Watanga), Ebenezer Solo (LPRC Oilers) and Marvin Blapoh (Monrovia Club Breweries)

Forwards: Christopher Jackson (LISCR FC), Varney Dukuly (Nimba United) and Terry Sackor (LPRC Oilers)