Liberia narrowly lost 5-4 to Guinea in a Fifa women’s under-20 World Cup qualifier at the Stade du 28 September in Conakry on Saturday.
Blanco FC striker Agatha Nimene, who scored a hat-trick during the first leg, opened the score in the first minute against the run of play following a Sylvia Pyne clearance.
Fanta Danda Kamara, whose gender (like South Africa’s Caster Semanya) was questioned over the two legs, should have leveled for Guinea few minutes later but Determine Girls’ goalkeeper Jackie Touah had a finger tipped clearance for a corner kick.
Nathaly Cisse leveled for Guinea in the fourth minute inside the 18-yard box, having been fed by Fanta.
Aminata Kamara converted a penalty to put Guinea 2-1 in the lead in the 23rd minute after World Girls defender Loretta Blessing Sackie was contentiously adjudged by Gambian referee Isatou Touray to have handled the ball during a defensive clearance in the danger zone.
It was a lovely dispatch in the top corner of Determine Girls goalkeeper Jackie Touah’s left side.
Determine Girls striker Pauline Agbotsu, who was one of Liberia’s tormentors-in-chief, leveled from outside the 18-yard box after an assist by World Girls striker Mamie Kallon.
But Kany Sidibé restored Guinea’s lead going to the break in the 27th minute from a rolling ball that beat goalie Touah and defenders Sackie and Choice Tokpah of Shaitta FC.
Second half substitute Lucy Kikeh of World Girls scored a brace, including a delicious free kick in the 66th minute in between Aminata’s brace and Guinea’s second penalty.
Lucy’s second goal in the 88th minute was much more down to a poor goalkeeping from Mawa Traore.
Guinea won the match when goalkeeper Touah failed to proper control a shot, which fumbled over her body and into the net.
Referee Touray ruled it was an own goal.
So, two penalties and two goalkeeping errors settled a nine-goal thriller in Conakry.
Liberia will meet Cameroon in the first round with the first leg in Monrovia on 22 March and second leg in Yaoundé on 28 March.
Line-ups
Liberia: 1-Jackie Touah (goalkeeper), 4-Francisca Howe (captain), 5-Marie Flomo, 6-Agatha Nimene, 7-Loretta Blessing Sackie, 8-Hawa Kpan (10-Lucy Kikeh), 9-Mamie Kallon (13-Love Kofa 15’) (20-Cynthia Nimely 87’), 11-Pauline Agbotsu, Sylvia Pyne, 14-Sangay Moulton and 17-Choice Tokpah.
Unused substitutes: 15-Crystal Mulbah, 16-Komassah Sumo, 21-Elizabeth Tamba and 22-Miatta Morris
Guinea: 1-Mawa Troare (goalkeeper), 2-Marie Madeleine Sylla, 4-Ivonne Kolie, 5-Mamaissata Camara, 6-N’Nabinty Sylla, 7-Kany Sidibé, 9-Fanta Danda Camara, 10-Mamet Camara (captain), 11-Nathaly Cisse, 13-Habibatou Koumbassa and 15-Aminata Camara.
Substitutes: 3-Damaye Camara, 8-Marie Camara, 12-Boh Saran Kourouma, 14-Suzane Daniel Lamah, 16-Binta Barry (goalkeeper), 17-Mariam Soumah and 19-Faoumata Mbemba Camara
Officials: match commissioner Fatoumata Guindo Daou (Mali), referee inspector Emmanuella Aglago (Ghana), referee Isatou Touray, assistant referee #1 Abbla Ceesay, assistant referee #2 Jainabe Manneh and fourth official Fatou Ngum (Gambia)