MONROVIA – The president of Liberia Football Association (LFA) third-division side Mardine FC has described his team’s 6-2 defeat to the Lone Star U-17 squad as progress rather than a setback.
By A. Macaulay Sombai | FrontPage Africa [email protected] | 0777217428
Speaking at the BYC Sport Ground on Lynch Street, Memeh Y. Sheriff noted that the heavy defeat was a valuable learning experience for his players. He highlighted that the majority of the Lone Star U-17 athletes are drawn from LFA first and second-division teams, offering his squad exposure to a higher level of play as they prepare for the 2025/2026 LFA national league season.
Sheriff explained that the encounter allowed his players to observe and adopt the tactical passes, skillful ball control, and shooting accuracy demonstrated by the national youth side.
“The main objective of Mardine FC’s friendly matches is for our athletes to better prepare themselves for the upcoming third-division league,” Sheriff said. “We won our first friendly encounter 4-1 against another third-division side, Desert Pro. In that game, Coach Prince Tieah and his technical staff noticed the athletes are picking up gradually in ball control and shooting.”
Following the selection of the squad in late October, the technical staff agreed on a schedule of four friendly matches to test the team’s readiness. To date, Mardine FC has completed two of these fixtures, recording one win and one loss.
Despite conceding six goals against the U-17s, Sheriff remains optimistic about his team’s trajectory.
“They were very good in their finishing touches, especially against the Lone Star U-17 squad,” Sheriff added. “We hope they will continue to improve on those finishing touches as they continue their preparation for the challenges to come in the league.”
With two friendly matches remaining before the league resumption, Mardine FC’s technical staff continues to focus on refining tactical discipline and technical skills to ensure the club is competitive in the upcoming LFA third-division struggle.
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