MONROVIA – The Liberia Football Association has announced that a 27-man delegation will depart the country on Wednesday, July 17, to honor an international friendly with Equatorial Guinea.
The local-based Liberian team will face their counterpart from Equatorial Guinea on 21 July.
Addressing a news conference on Tuesday, July 16, LFA acting president Wilmot Smith said the match was arranged by LFA president Mustapha Raji during his trip to France in June as part of technical cooperation agreements he arranged on the sidelines of the 69th Fifa congress.
Smith added Liberia is responsible for round-trip tickets and per-diems for the traveling delegation which amounts to US$47,000 while the hosts will take care of accommodation, feeding, ground transportation and training facilities.
Head coach Thomas Kojo will use the match to prepare for the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier with Senegal on 28 July in Monrovia.
Speaking to reporters ahead of his team’s departure, Kojo said he is confident that his players can give Liberians the need result.
“We are taking very talented and young players to this game and with the responses I am getting from them they will do better,” Kojo said.
He praised the LFA for arranging such friendly which he said is important for his team ahead of the Game with Senegal in Monrovia on July 28, 2019.
Liberia lost 2-1 to Equatorial Guinea on 3 September 2006 in Malabo and drew 0-0 in Monrovia on 16 June 2007 during the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The delegation is headed by LFA executive committee member Beatrice Maime Kpoto and includes Solomon Wah, head coach Thomas Kojo, deputy coach Samuel Chebli and trainer George Gebro.
Others are goalkeeping coach Eric Glasco, administrative manager Sebastian Collins, kit-man Tommy Johnson and physiotherapist Patrick Konuwa.
Kojo and his technical staff selected 18 of the 25-players, who were named on 22 June to prepare for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier with Senegal on 28 July.
The squad underwent changes with the departure of LISCR goalkeeper Ashley Williams and LPRC Oilers defender Sampson Dweh, who left Liberia for a trial with Austrian Bundesliga club Rapid Vienna on 9 July.
New call-ups like goalkeeper Prince Wlame, midfielder Armah Vaikainah and strikers Varney Dukuly and Terry Sackor were retained.
Kojo’s strikers, which include Christopher Jackson, Varney Dukuly and Terry Sackor, scored 48 goals in the first division.
Muscat FC striker Mark Yallah and Pags FC striker Mark Karley, who scored a total of 36 league goals in the second division, didn’t make the cut.
The squad began training at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) on 1 July following medical and physical examinations, which began on 24 June.
Here is the full squad.
Goalkeepers: Prince Wlame (LPRC Oilers) and Alpha Jalloh (BYC)
Defenders: Alvin Maccornel and Nuwo Johnson (LPRC Oilers); Kemoh Kamara and Dirkir Glay (LISCR FC) and Daniel Woto (BYC)
Midfielders: Armah Vaikainah, Sam Jackson and Edward Ledlum (LISCR FC); Isaac Pupo (Watanga FC), 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)